Project DHI
by protodayka
Summary: In this first installment of a fan reboot of the Kingdom Keepers series, Finn Whitman and his friends must unravel a mystery within the Disney Parks in order to stop an evil entity that has existed for over 60 years.
1. Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time--- in 1959

**Author's Note: Hello everyone, my name is Proto and I welcome you to my first ever fan fiction: Project DHI. As stated in the summary this is my personal reboot of the Kingdom Keepers series, as I've always loved the Kingdom Keepers to what it could be, rather than what it is now. This is my way of trying to share and show the potential this series has. To the fans of the series, the characters that we all know and love are still the same and for the love shippers out there don't worry the relationships are maintained. This story here is just a way to revive the book series as it is over a decade old. With all that said, I hope you enjoying reading this story and thank you for joining me in this first step to a great adventure.**

 **Disclaimer: Names, locations, or any references portrayed in this story are made for fictional purposes and are set in an alternate universe. The Kingdom Keepers and Disney characters within this story are owned by Ridley Pearson, Disney Hyperion, and the Walt Disney Company.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time…in 1959

January 29, 1959

Walt Disney Animation Studios, Burbank, California, USA

9:00 P.M.

"Stop the car here!" the young man in the back seat yelled to the cab driver as they approach their destination.

The cab park on the moon-lite road of Riverside Drive and coming out from the back was a 20 year old young man wearing a formal suit and an old brown flat cap. Being late for his event the young man quickly paid the cab driver and ran off into the studio lot where he works. Tonight he was invited to an employee party in which everyone in the animation department were celebrating the release of their latest animated fairy tale movie.

The young man hurried through past the lot and enter the main sidewalk where on one side was the studio soundstages and on the other was the art building. Upon passing the buildings the young man found the main studio building where the party was being held on the other side of a vast courtyard. In combination with the cold winter air, the full moon lite up the night and made the courtyard easy for the young man to navigate through. At the entrance of the building was the head of the celebration and so the young man walked up to her, invitation in hand.

"Sorry, I'm late." He passed his invitation to the head woman and she ask "Name sir."

The young man replied "Wayne Kresky ma'am."

The woman check the invite list and found his name. "Okay, you're clear to go."

"Thanks" Wayne put a smile on and then walk into the building. Following the sounds of the music he found his way to the main atrium where he saw hundreds of employees. Wayne had been working for the studio for so long he could recognize each and every one of them; that was the benefits for being the paperboy of the animation department.

From a distance Wayne could see a woman come up on the stage on the other side of the wide atrium and spoke "May I have your attention please." Everyone then gave their attention to her, knowing this was the moment they've all been waiting for. "Ladies and Gentlemen give it up for Walt Disney himself."

The crowd then applauded heavily as the real Walt Disney walk onto the stage. Wayne had always worked in the studios, but he never came close to know Walt personally. The people closest to him in the studio were the animation directors, one of which Wayne worked with on a daily basis. Once Walt got to the podium he greet everyone with a friendly hand wave and spoke.

"Hello everyone and thank you for coming to this extremely rare event. We at the Walt Disney Company should all take pride in our creativity to bring happiness to all those around us and to be grateful for the talented individuals that help make that happiness a reality. Last night I saw that happiness come to life when I saw Sleeping Beauty finally wake up from her slumber. After 9 long years, a million drawings later, and the thousands of hours of effort from all the men and women in this room, I'm proud to say and lay to rest these words. We have completed the film."

And from those words, the whole place went wild. The atrium erupt into an atmosphere of glee as people either heavily applaud, lift their drinks up, or cheer in high spirit. For Wayne it was high spirits.

"WHOA!" roared Wayne in his contentment to hear the words that he's been wanting to hear after years of hard work. Delivering papers from point A to point B sounds easy, but things aren't that easy when you add in point C, Point D, and every other point all the way to Z. Wayne decided to work at Disney because he always loved the imagination and creativity that was necessary for the job. It was an irony for Wayne to care for such a job as he was studying engineering in college and had a part time job as a firearm engineer at a gun shop not too far from the studio. Yet Wayne wanted to use his intellect to help bring to life memorable stories and lovable cartoons, not to make weapons for a conflict that he hope wouldn't be a nuclear war. As far as he was aware Wayne loved his job at Disney and was hoping to one day be an engineer for WED Enterprises.

After Walt Disney congratulated his work force for their efforts in completing Sleeping Beauty, everyone went about as before and talk to each other about whatever crazy stories they had to share. Wayne on the other hand went for the concession stand and hoped to get some of the goodies. Upon reaching the stand, Wayne enjoyed himself to the warm cookies and hot chocolate, quite opposite to the cool winter night outside. Then he heard an all too familiar voice.

"Well you seem to be enjoying yourself Wayne."

Wayne turned around to see a man he was all too familiar with. Right in front of him was his supervisor Mr. Davis, one of the animation directors that Wayne worked with directly.

"Sir?" Wayne gulped down whatever was in his mouth to speak clearly. "How did you find me?"

"Your brown cap son." Davis turn to point at Wayne's cap. "You've been wearing it every day for the last 4 years. I can recognize you from a mile away."

"I'm glad to see you and the others have done it in finally completing the movie. I can tell that Sleeping Beauty is going to be another great princess for the lineup." Wayne knew that one of Davis's reputation in the studio was making the most memorable female cartoons, especially the Disney Princesses. How he manages to know female anatomy so great? No one knows.

"Well Briar Rose may be great but I think her counterpart in the movie takes the crown for my greatest character yet."

"Oh, you mean…" Before Wayne could finish his sentence a man with a camera came in and ask if they want a picture to remember tonight's event. The two men agreed and shook hands while smiling at the camera and the camera man took a picture. A picture of an old animator with a bald head and a paperboy with a brown cap. The camera man gave thanks and then walked into the party crowd.

Davis then turned to Wayne and spoke to him in a manner that was business like.

"Wayne when the party is over meet me in Disney's office."

"Why sir?" Wayne asked with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity. Good or bad news coming from Davis was one thing, but any news coming from Walt Disney himself was something else.

Davis then gave a heart warm smile to Wayne and said "Because those 4 years of devotion to helping me and this studio has caught Walter's attention. And I'm proud to say he's offering you a deal that should interest you Wayne."

He then gave out his hand for another handshake. "I know we just shook hands earlier but this time it's the real deal."

Wayne couldn't believe it. He was finally looking at something big for his life. Any deal from Walt Disney is a once in a lifetime deal. He shook his boss's hand and said in gratitude "Thank you sir. When should I be at the office?"

"At around 11:30, when everyone is gone. Walter's got to thank everyone first before he can get to business. I'll see you there."

The two men then parted ways as Davis disappeared into the crowd. Wayne on the other hand turn gave himself a silent victory gesture. From then on throughout that night, the celebration was all the more great for the young man in the brown cap.

* * *

11:30 P.M.

The atrium at the late hour was now pure silent as only one person was still present. Looking at his watch Wayne saw it was time to go to Walt Disney's office. Wayne left the main building the same way he came in and was back in the courtyard. On the other side was the sidewalk he walked through but nearby to his right was the building that housed Walt Disney's office, and seeing that there was a light on the 4th floor Wayne realize that was where he needed to go.

Wayne then enter the building and despite only a few light's being left on for the night he manage to find the elevator and take it to the 4th floor. Exiting the elevator Wayne look to his left down the main hallway and at the far end was a room that was lite up. Walking down the hallway and upon entering the room, Wayne saw his supervisor and at the main desk was Walt Disney himself.

Walt gave a smile to Wayne and spoke in a heartening manor "Ah, Wayne Kresky come in and have a seat. Marc here was telling me about you."

Wayne then took a seat near the desk and Walt continue to speak to him.

"Your probably wondering why you are here; is that correct?"

Wayne in rapid response said "Yes sir."

Walt then straiten his poster and spoke to Wayne in a genuine fashion. "Well Kresky I'm here to ask you this. What do you think about working for WED Enterprises?"

Wayne couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was he being given a job opportunity to work with the engineers of WED Enterprises? He admired their work for Disneyland years back, but now Wayne was being offered an opportunity to be working with the brilliant minds of the Walt Disney Company.

"Pleas sir, tell me more."

From then on Walt talked to Wayne about what it takes to be an imaginative engineer for the company and the skills that were needed to become one. He went on to say that despite Wayne's job as a paperboy was small and simple, his everlasting devotion and admiration to helping the studio for 4 years was enough to warrant Walt's attention. As to how he figured out Wayne was into engineering, Walt figured that out from Davis who had mention that Wayne talked once in a while about his engineering education and his other part time job. After 25 minutes of talking Wayne had made up his mind.

Extending his business hand for a handshake, Walt then asked in confidence "So Kresky, do we have a deal?"

With an exhilarating feeling coursing down his arm, Wayne shook Disney's hand and said "It's a deal sir."

Wayne then looked to his supervisor siting nearby. "Thank you sir for recommending me for this opportunity."

"No thanks is needed son, you've done your part and that's all you need to get ahead in life." He got up from his chair and turn to a pair of doors on the other side of the office. "In fact this calls for something special."

Davis walked into the adjacent room and upon hearing the sounds of paper, Wayne and Walt got up and enter the room as well. Wayne had an idea of what Walt Disney's office was having delivered animation drawings and all, but he never been in the lead animation development room that only the animation directors and Walt were allowed to be in. The huge room was covered with animation drawings, most of them from Sleeping Beauty. At one end of the room were shelfs holding the portfolios of every animator in the studio and at the far end of the room was a box television set most likely for video playback and referencing.

Davis was looking through his portfolio then asked "What's it going to be Wayne, princess or evil fairy?"

Before Wayne could answer Walt spoke first in curiosity. "Marc do you really want to do this, giving away one of your own drawings?"

"Why not Walter? The young man has just gotten the opportunity of a lifetime. His dream to be an engineer for the company is sure to come true. I find it only fitting he has something to forever look back on this moment. Besides, he's been carrying around animation drawings for years and not once has he stolen a single frame. With that in mind I find it fitting that he earns at least one of my works."

Walt understood where his friend was coming from. The young man's dream was coming true and seeing the happiness of someone's dream coming to fruition is exactly why Walt wanted to start his own company in the first place.

Walt then looked to Wayne and ask what Davis said previous. "So what it's it going to be Wayne to remember the night your dream came true? Princess or evil fairy?"

Wayne tough about it for a few seconds and made up his mind. "Evil fairy."

And in a moment's notice Davis pulled out one of the drawings of the evil fairy from the Sleeping Beauty film. To Wayne she looked more like the Devil than a fairy. Now he knows what Davis meant hours ago when he said this fairy is his greatest character yet.

He put the drawing down on the table nearby and searched for a pencil. Clearly he wanted to let all three of them sign it.

"Hold on, I'll be right back." Walt then went back to his office and upon returning carried a very unusual looking object.

"Sir, what is that?" Wayne asked in curiosity.

Walt then gave the utensil to Wayne "This right here is my first pen."

Wayne examined the object and it looked like an old style ink pen, but the whole casing of the pen was covered in odd looking markings.

"Where did you get it sir?"

"I got from France, back when I was deployed during the First World War. I've been carrying it on me ever since and I only use it for special occasions like final drawings for projects and such. I think it's fitting to use it for this moment."

And so the 3 of them centered on the table were the drawing was and with the odd looking pen each of them signed their name on it. Once the ink was dry, Wayne then inserted the drawing in a large protective envelope, like the ones he uses as the paperboy, and sealed it shut.

"Thank you for everything." Wayne said while he was exiting the animation room.

Walt gave a friendly wave good-bye and said "Be safe on you way home and I expect great things from you in the future."

Wayne then exited the office and walked down the hallway to the elevator and push the button to call it up. He checked his watch and it was 12:00 a.m. at midnight, yet despite being so late Wayne felt rather energize and awake. When the elevator arrived and Wayne was inside with the doors shut, he knew then this was the time to have his moment.

In a sense of achievement and pride, Wayne yelled in the elevator in pure happiness "YES! YES! YES!"

Suddenly the lights flickered in the elevator and Wayne could hear the elevator stop momentarily. Maybe he gotten too excited for himself and so he kept quiet. The elevator then reached the ground floor and Wayne walked down the hall to the nearby exit. But then all the lights in the hallway and in the rooms grew bright; maybe too bright. The hallway then returned normally as it was before with only a few lights on and it was at this moment that Wayne was starting to feel uneasy. He exited the building and cross the courtyard to the main sidewalk. Wayne knew it would be awhile till the next cab would arrive. He then looked at the large envelope he was carrying and admired that he had a legitimate animation drawing from the Sleeping Beauty film. Tonight it was just a drawing, but in the years to come or in the distant future it would become priceless.

Suddenly the lights from the buildings around Wayne all turned on and he could hear the surging electricity coursing through the studio as the lights only became brighter. Not noticing at first, Wayne then looked in amazement as the envelope he was carrying was glowing. It looked as if the lead and ink of the paper were being highlighted with light. And with a loud explosion, all the lights and power to the studio turned off and for a brief moment in the night sky a green aurora past over Wayne's head. After that there was only silence and darkness. Wayne looked back at the drawing and it stopped glowing. He looked back wondering if he should check on Disney and Davis, but he believed they should be okay. Upon exiting the sidewalk to the parking lot, Wayne saw that the cars and streetlights to Riverside Drive were all off, almost like every electronic device in the area was turned off. Now he realizes that he should go back, fearing that the 2 men may be stuck in the elevator. With only the full moon to give off any light, Wayne then walked back down the sidewalk all the way to the courtyard. And from the darkness Wayne could see a dim white light coming from the room next to Disney's office. He crossed the courtyard yet again and enter the building.

With all the lights off Wayne had to touch the walls to know where he was going. Upon reaching the elevator he pushed the button and nothing.

 _Figures._ Wayne thought to himself. He then slowly made his way down the hall and found a door nearby that held the stair case. Luckily there were a few emergency lights on in the stairwell. Entering the stairwell Wayne could hear a male voice coming from above. It didn't sound like a real person, more like a person talking through a radio and so Wayne listen closely.

"And that concludes our normal broadcasting. From this station we thank you all for joining us. Good night."

Wayne could tell it was from the television in the head animation room and so the television being on explains the light from outside. Wayne continued making his way up the stair well, until the load sound of trumpets startle him off his feet. The television was louder than normal as Wayne could hear the station signing off with their playing of the Star Spangled Banner.

 _Typical America_. Wayne thought as he ignored the music and continue up the stairs to the 4th floor. Exiting the stairwell, the load music vibrated the thoughts in Wayne's head, making him feel disoriented for a second.

"Sir! Why is the television so loud!?" Wayne screamed as he enter Walt's office. And before he knew it Disney and Davis rushed to Wayne to cover his mouth quickly. Wayne didn't know what to make of their behavior, but he could see something in both his superiors that he had never seen before. Fear.

"Quiet Wayne and don't make a sound." Davis whispered to Wayne's ear as the roaring music overcame the office. "The TV has its attention and it doesn't know we are here."

Wayne saw that the pair of doors to the animation room were slightly closed and he couldn't see what was in the room. He then got their hands off him and asked quietly. "What's going on? What is 'it'?"

With the TV still playing the loud anthem, Walt spook quietly into Wayne's ear. "It happened just a couple of minutes ago when you left. We were leaving when the lights started acting up and the loud explosion happened. The television turned on and so we came back. That's when we found…"

"Quiet!" Davis interrupted as the television in the animation room played the last notes to the anthem and then there was only the soft white noise of static.

The atmosphere now was only filled with silence and fear as the 3 men wondered what to do next. Wayne then advance quietly to the pair of doors to see what was making both Disney and Davis be in a state of fear. Normally he expect the older men to pull him back, but instead they too advance with him. Touching one of the doors Wayne froze, slightly afraid of what is on the other side. Yet with Disney and Davis by his side, Wayne summon up what courage was in him and very slowly push the door open, not making a sound. What Wayne saw before him would forever be sketch in his mind.

What the 3 men saw before them was a horn creature looking direct at the white static television that laid in front of it. Noticing the horn design, all three of them knew who this was. Placing her hand on the television screen as if she was allured by it, she hadn't notice their entry into the room. The ink on the animation papers, which littered the whole room, streamed across the floor and to the black robes in which she wore. Then she turned to face them and it was in that moment that the 3 men knew she wasn't an illusion. Only a few minutes ago she was on paper and now she was real; right before them all. There was no doubt about it.

It was her.

* * *

 **A.N: This chapter was inspired by a fan fiction on the Kingdom Keepers website titled 'The boy in the brown cap'. I recommend you read it; but it was a small story that illustrated how the first book should have opened. Instead of starting off with Finn waking up as a DHI without any reason, it felt more natural to start off back in time with Wayne and how he became apart of Disney. To make this chapter legit to the Kingdom Keepers need for Disney detail I just had to use 2 figures from the time period, but it will only be for this chapter. With that said, I hope you enjoyed how the antagonist of the story came to be. Next chapter will be the protagonist.**


	2. Chapter 2: A kid name Finn

**Author's Note: For those who are wondering why certain aspects to the chapters are being corrected or updated, such as these author's notes, I'm merely fixing some minor flaws that are just on my mind. While I'm doing minor updates or ANs for previous chapters, it won't distract me from writing future chapters. Anyway, here is chapter 2 of Project DHI. Let's jump from 1959 and go 60 years into the future to 2019.**

* * *

Chapter 2: A kid name Finn

June 12, 2019

Whitman Residence, Orlando, Florida, USA

7:00 P.M.

A small girl rush to the window to see that her mother's van parking in the garage. She then called to her older brother upstairs.

"Finn! Finn mom's home!" She called out to her older brother but no response. Annoyed by his lack of communication while playing video games, the young girl made her way through the house, up the stairs, to the gaming room where Finn and his neighborhood friend Dillard have been playing all day. Before she could even touch the door, the boys suddenly burst into a loud howl that could be heard all throughout the house.

"Ray, tell the boys that the pizza is here!" called out Finn's mother from the first floor. Ray then open the door to the gaming room and rose her voice for her words to pass the boys' gaming headsets. "Finn, mom's home with the pizza! It's time for dinner!"

Her brother then turns to her and said "Okay Ray I hear you. Tell mom me and Dillard will be down there in just a minute." Ray then walks out of the room and close the door, not wanting to hear them burst into celebration again.

Finn turns his mic on, wanting to hear what his teammates online had to say about him and Dillard winning the stalemate in a match of capture the flag.

"Dude, who were the two guys that got the enemy flag at the last minute?" said one gamer. Then another responded "Some guys called 'sharkfinn' and 'doughboy007'."

"That would be us" said Finn and Dillard in sync.

Finn then look to his friend and gave his complements. "Nice job there doughboy, that was some moves you got on the quad bike."

"Well only the best can drive you across the battlefield, dodge rockets from a helicopter, jump over a broken bridge, splatter 5 enemies, AND win a nearly tied match all in one drive through."

The gaming party agreed with Dillard's actions as they saw it in game themselves. Dillard then offered his fist in midair towards Finn. "Who's the man sharkfinn?"

Finn rolled his eyes at his friend's pride, but he had to admit his friend's great skills in first person shooters. "Okay, you're the man doughboy."

Finn then fist bumped his friend, putting a permanent smile on his face. "That's right. I'm the man. Doughboy double o seven."

One of the players then said "Hey you two want to join up for another match?"

Finn replied "Sorry guys. Pizza just got here. It's time for me and doughboy to go eat and celebrate our victory."

"That's cool. Anyway good game everybody" said the player.

"Good game" said Finn

"Good game" said Dillard.

And with everyone saying good game, Finn exited out of the multiplayer lobby and turned off his gaming console. They then set their gaming headsets down and made their way downstairs to eat.

* * *

At the round dining table Dillard, Finn, and his sister Ray all enjoyed themselves to the takeout pizza while Finn's mother went out to go check the mail. From the dining room window they could see the rear iron fence of their small backyard which lead them to the neighborhood sidewalk that circled around a lake with cut green grass sounding it. With a purplish sky and a setting sun, the view from the dining room fit well with the kids having a great time.

Of the bunch was a 14-year-old boy named Finn, short for his mother's maiden named Finnegan. His full name was Lawrence Finnegan Whitman, but everyone has always called him Finn as Lawrence wasn't the great to announce. Being a slim kid, about 5' foot 4" inches, and having dark brown hair, Finn looked much like the average teenager. His best friend however, not so much. Dillard had similarities to Finn, having the same height and hair color, but the differing factor was an excessive amount of body mass. In other words Dillard was fat. There was a reason to why his gamer tag was title 'doughboy'. As for Finn's sister Ray, she was 9-years-old and shared more in common with their mother as oppose to their father. Finn at times felt sorry for Ray as she didn't live to see her father, whom passed away at the time she was born. Their father was serving as part of a special ops forces in the military and he was killed in action when Finn was 5, old enough to remember. They honored his memory during Memorial Day a few weeks ago and it was during that day that their mother talks about him. After his death it became stressful for their mother to be a single mother and so she had to quit her job. Finn's mother used to work at NASA as an engineer, but now she works for Lockheed Martin. For her to manage 2 kids, afford a house within a great neighborhood, and to be employed, Finn had to admire her for all her hard work.

The front door opened as Finn's mother came to them, having nearly a pile of mail in her hands. Looking about the mail she found a letter that had the two logos on it. The first was the Disney logo, which got her attention, but the other logo was one in which she never seen before. It was a equilateral triangle with circles on it's 3 corners and a circle in the center of the triangle. The letter was from Disney Imagineering and was addressed to Finn.

"Finn, you got a letter from Disney."

Finn looked up to her, yet wasn't that excited. "It's probably another letter asking for park feedback or to ask young kids like me for volunteer work. I like Disney and all, but I'm just going to enjoy my summer vacation here."

His mother looked back at the letter "I don't know Finn, this time it's from Disney Imagineering. I'll read it to you, seeing that your hands are dirty." She opened the letter and then start to read it to them all.

"'Dear Lawrence Finnegan Whitman, congratulations. You have been one of the very few individuals to qualify for Disney's latest and most enduring Imagineering venture, Project DHI.'"

The three kids at the table raised their head in question as to what was just said.

"Project DHI? I've never heard of it" said Finn.

"Well I have" Dillard spoke in enthusiasm "and let me tell you now Finn you are the luckiest kid in the state to be qualified for Project DHI."

"What is DHI?" said Ray.

Finn's mother then asked the same question "Yes Dillard what is Project DHI?"

Dillard straighten his posture at the table and explain. "Well to put it in simple terms, it's a program that centers on holograms. You know those foreign videos from Japan where they have a hologram play out or perform, well Project DHI is like that."

Ray look to Dillard in awe of what he said. "Are you serious? A real hologram?"

Dillard look to her and said "Yeah. For real, it's some awesome stuff."

Finn then asked "How do you know all of this Dillard?"

Dillard looked to him and replied "I learned of it by reading some leaked online article saying that Disney was going to reveal some hologram technology at their D23 Expo, and it looks like they've chosen you to be the first to test this thing out."

Finn wasn't able to understand what was being talked about. Holograms? In Disney? He then asks his mother "Hey mom, does it say anything there about holograms or what Dillard just said."

"Yes." his mother replied. "It says here that 'Project DHI or Daylight Holographic Imagery is a new way of Disney entertainment soon to come to Disney attractions everywhere.'"

That sentence alone caught the full attention of all 3 of the kids at table as Finn's mother continued.

"'How DHI works is by using nanotechnology within the body and in order to function properly a healthy adolescent is need. While the technology is certified by medical professions to be safe to human subjects, its motion capture capability is only possible by using it on a certain age group. Based around the many surveys, you Lawrence Finnegan Whitman qualify to be a part of this enduring entertainment project.'"

Despite an entire paragraph saying DHI was safe, that first sentence of nanotechnology in the body really turned Finn off. "In the body? What kind of hologram tech is this?"

Finn turn to Dillard for some insight but replied "Don't look at me. I only read a leaked article."

"I don't know Dillard. I like this hologram thing and all, but…"

"WHAT?!" Finn's mother interrupted before he could finish.

"Mom what is it?"

She read the letter again, unable to believe what she was reading was true in text. "It says here that the Disney Company is willing to pay you 50,000$ if you fully participate in this project for the summer."

"WHAT!" All three of the kids said at once. But Finn's mother continued.

"'And you will be flown to Los Angeles to the D23 Expo along with other qualified applicants. Hotel and travel arrangement will be free of charge. In addition, you and close relatives or friends will have a premium Disney Parks VIP pass in which you will be allowed full access to the parks at any time for life. If you wish to accept this offer, please enter the code attached to this letter at the Disney Imagineering website. We hope you accept our offer and congratulate you for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Sincerely, Professor Wayne Kresky: Director of Disney Imagineering.'" Finn's mother then put down the letter, having finished the last sentence.

For a moment in time no one moved or said a word. Neither Finn, Dillard, Ray, nor Finn's mother couldn't come to grips with the offer being granted to them. 50,000 dollars, a lifetime pass to go to the Disney Parks for free, and to be part of a hologram program; it all sounded too good to be true. All remained silent, until Dillard looked to Finn.

"Finn, go get your computer."

Finn turned at Dillard, still in a sense of disbelief. Dillard then rose his voice louder "Finn! Go get your computer NOW! Those positions are being filled up as we speak. Sign up before the positions are filled!"

Snapping out of his daze and understood what Dillard meant. Finn scrambled out from his seat and made a quick dash to get his laptop from his bedroom upstairs. Upon finding his laptop, Finn then made his way to the downstairs living room next to the dining table and kitchen. He then opened his computer and made his way through the net to the Disney Imagineering site. There a special tab was labeled 'Project DHI' and so he clicks on it. After going through link after link, Finn finally found where to enter his application code to be a participant in the project.

"Mom, give me the letter with the code."

As quickly as she could, Finn's mother passed the letter to him and he entered in the 50-digit code. After checking for typos, Finn pressed the enter button. All four of them stared in anticipation at the laptop screen as the code verified itself. Then a new page popped up saying:

'Congratulations Lawrence Finnegan Whitman, you are now a committed applicant of Disney's Project DHI. In the days to come please wait for further instructions by mail or email. These instructions will cover terms for applicants, travel arrangements for the 2019 D23 Expo, and legal contracts to the extent of what information applicants can or cannot share with the general public. Premium VIP passes to Disney Parks will be given to applicants after the D23 Expo and the offer of 50,000$ will only be given until the project is released to the public at the beginning of 2020. We at Disney thank you for your participation in bringing happiness to the world by innovation.'

Upon seeing that he was now part of something big, Finn couldn't help but to explode in excitement.

"WHOA!"

His mother patted him on the shoulder and said "I don't know how it happened Finn, but you are one very lucky kid."

Finn smiled at his mother's comment. However, that didn't sit well with Ray. "Hey, I hope you share that 50,000$ with me."

Dillard said to her "Sorry Ray, Finn doesn't have to share his cash with anyone." Finn for a moment believed him, before he kept on talking and patted him on the back "If he's going to share 50,000$ with anyone, it's going to be his best friend."

Finn then looked at him with an are-you-serious type of look. "Or I'll let you get a pass to go to Disney anytime you want. You do after all get to brag all the time online when we play."

"Oh come on Finn, that isn't cool."

Finn then made a smirk to Dillard. "However I could change my mind, if you do one thing for me."

"What? What do you want me to do?"

Finn lifted his fist in posture for a fist bump. Dillard knew exactly what that meant. Finn then said "Who is the man."

Dillard rolled his eyes and replied "You're the man."

The two friends then made a fist bump and Finn savor the moment. "That's right. I'm the man. A man name Finn."

"Your only 14 dude, you're still a kid." Dillard responded to Finn's delusional pride.

Finn then corrected himself. "Okay then, I'm the kid. A kid name Finn."

* * *

 **A.N: Like I said in the previous chapter, the Kingdom Keepers shouldn't have started with Finn as a DHI, having no explanation to how he got the hologram technology. Here I wanted Finn to portray the everyday American teenager, hanging out with friends, playing video games, and just having a fun time over the summer. Yes, there are a few clichés here and there, but throughout the series Finn just lacked that connection in portraying a normal kid of his age. As for Dillard, while he's a complete throw away character in the series and in most KK fan fictions, I want his character to be more and actually be Finn's best friend. That is something I hope to accomplish in future chapters and stories. As for Finn's family, well when it came to who would survive for the reboot, I choose Finn's sister over his father. Finn's father never makes any significant impact to any kind of KK story and nobody has tried to flesh out Finn's younger sister, who has only been mention once in the entire book series. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, next time it will be Finn meeting the others.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Five Passengers

**AN: Hello everyone, Proto back again and I apologize for the long delay for this chapter. There have been a lot of things going on here in the real world and this was a very difficult chapter to write. Were as the first two chapters introduced a single main character (Maleficent's introduction doesn't count), this chapter introduces 4 and it takes time to flesh out each of these characters. I'd like to give a few shout outs for my first reviewers.**

 **Jay Hayden: I agree with you joshadams, Dillard deserved more than what was given to him. And to me personally it should have been Maleficent who killed him to send Finn a message not to mess with her or her plans.**

 **The Princess Maker: I'm guilty. I have a very creative imagination but I can't write it down correctly. It's a problem I've had as long as I can remember when it comes to writing. I'll do my best to improve.**

 **Life's-For-Living: Glad to see you my friend. I've been with you since your first story and now I'm glad to see you do the same for me.**

 **I'm grateful to have you all with me. Everyone starts out small and I'm glad to see you all join me on this great adventure. I will do my best to try and make the best chapters possible as quickly as I can. I thank you all for your support and without further delay here is Chapter 3 of Project DHI.**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Five Passengers

July 17, 2019

Disney Flight 01 / 30,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico

12:00 P.M. (Central Time)

"Attention passengers, we will be arriving in Los Angeles at 5:00 P.M Pacific time. Till then please enjoy yourself in the lounge area where you can access the internet and enjoy our accommodations. We are currently 50 miles south of Mobile, Alabama and we will update you on both the time and location in the next hour. Thank you and enjoy your flight."

The PM speaker went silent in the cabin in which Finn, Ray, and his mother occupied. Looking past Ray and out the window, Finn could see on the horizon the coast of Alabama. They have been in the air for an hour and they've only reached Alabama. Earlier that day Finn and his family got up to get on their private jet provide by Disney in order to travel to D23. They were nearly late because of traffic but they managed to get onboard before liftoff. Finn and his family have stayed in their cabin ever since they left from Orlando International Airport and with lunchtime upon them it was now time to get some food.

Finn turn to his mother and ask "Hey Mom, I'm going to check out the lounge area and see if I can get us some lunch. Are you okay with that?"

"Okay Finn, but don't order anything. First tell us what they got. I don't want to eat something nasty while in the air."

Finn didn't know if his mother was airsick but he didn't want to find out by giving her food while flying.

"Alright then. I'll be back in a while." He then unbuckled himself from his seat and walk out into the main corridor of the plane. Walking down the hall Finn pass by the other 4 cabins that were occupied by the other families whom were also a part of the DHI program. So overall there were 5 DHIs from Orlando. Making his way to the front of the plane he found himself in the lounge area which was nearly empty apart from a girl in the far corner who was drawing on a notebook and a red headed boy sitting at a table with a laptop.

Seeing he hasn't talk to anyone in hours, Finn decide to enjoy a bit of company and walk up to the red headed kid.

"Hey, are you a DHI applicant like me?"

The red head kid looks up to Finn and said in a British-like accent "Yeah I'm an applicant. I'm Dell Philby. And you are?"

"I'm Lawrence Finnegan Whitman. Just call me Finn." He lend his hand for a hand shake "Nice to meet you Dell."

"Just call me Philby. I prefer it to my first name." Philby then shook Finn's hand in greetings.

"Well it's better to be called Dell than Lawrence. Is it alright if I join you? I got nothing better to do."

Philby didn't like talking to people, as he wasn't much the social type. Knowing it would be rude to say no to someone who is being so generous Philby closed his laptop and said "Alright then."

Finn took a seat at his table sitting near the window with a clear view of the Gulf of Mexico. "So, got anything to tell?"

* * *

12:30 P.M. (Central Time)

Despite living in a country that was a melting pot of people from different cultures Finn had never spoken to a kid with a real British accent. After talking to Philby for half an hour, Finn had come to learn a bit of his life. Being born in the United Kingdom, Philby moved to the States when he was very young and has lived in Orlando ever since. He was about Finn's age but was more skinny compare to most teens. He came from a family that was in the tech business and was trying to master animation programs, many he noted said would take animators a lifetime to understand. There was no doubt in Finn's mind that Philby was probably the best geek he's meet.

Then from the corner of Finn's eyes, he could see his mother walking towards him.

"Finn? I thought you were going to just check out the lounge and tell us what they have to eat. Your sister is starving and so am I."

Finn had been talking to Philby so long, he forgot about his sister and mother being on the plane. "I'm sorry Mom, I was just talking to Philby here. He's a DHI applicant just like me."

His mother then turn to Philby and says "Hello there Philby. I'm Finn's mother. I glad to see you 2 are getting along."

She and Philby had a greeting handshake "I'm glad to meet you ma'am. Finn's okay. Were just killing time that's all."

"Alright then, I'll leave you two to talk." She then look to Finn and says "I'll get you two some lunch and don't worry about me or your…"

Before she could finish her sentence a black kid was running fast down the hallway and dash past the three of them to the front of the plane and to the restroom. The three of them didn't know who he was but from the sounds he was making in the stale it was easy to realize he was airsick.

"Excuse me, coming through." A voice came from the cabin area. And coming into the lounge area was a big fat lady who look like she could barely fit in the narrow hallway. And Finn believed that Dillard was fat.

She pass over Finn's mother and the boys as she made her way to the restroom where the sick kid was.

"Terrance are you okay in there?"

With a knock on the door the kid reply "Yeah. I'm okay Aunt Jelly, I just need to…" and again came that disgusting noise.

The fat lady then said "I'm going to go ask for something to help you out. Just take your time."

She then looks to the boys and Finn's mother. "I'm sorry if he rudely interrupted you. I told him not to eat lunch early on his first flight but the boy just won't listen." The fat lady then walked out of the lounge area through the curtains near the bathroom stale to ask flight service for something to help her nephew.

Finn's mother turn to her son and said "On second though I think it's best for us all to eat something small."

"Agreed" said Finn and Philby in unison.

With that said, Finn's mother also walked toward the curtains to get something for her son and his new friend to relieve their hunger. Yet what caught Finn's attention was the girl that he saw earlier. By her looks Finn could tell she was Asian, but she wore red retro glasses that fit with her artistic determination. She was still drawing in her notebook and she didn't seem to be phased at all to what just happened.

Finn then turn to Philby and ask "Hey, how long has that girl with the glasses in the corner been there?"

Philby then look past Finn to the girl and reply "Her? I don't really know. She was there before I got here." He then focusses on her deep concentration to her notebook. "But apparently she does like to draw a lot."

Before they knew it Finn's mother return with some candy in her hands. "Here you go you two. That should hold you out for at least an hour."

"Thanks mom" said Finn.

"Thank you ma'am" said Philby.

"Well then, I'll just leave you two boys to your business. I'll check over your sister Finn." With that said she walk back to the hallway with some remaining candy for herself and Finn's younger sister.

Philby then look to Finn in question. "You have a sister?"

"Yeah, she young. She's a pain sometimes but we get along."

Philby gave a small chuckle while opening his candy "Well it's a good thing I'm a lonely child. That way I don't have to deal with that family drama."

"I envy you" Finn reply as he was about to open his own candy, but then his attention drew back to the girl with the glasses in the far corner. Weather it was through curiosity or a sense of feeling bad for those who are alone, Finn got up from his seat and walk over to her.

"Hey" he said in a friendly manor "I don't mean to bother you or anything, but I've notice you were here alone and I just want to know if everything is alright."

She then looks to Finn and said "Oh, I'm okay. I just like to draw things that's all and I kind of need to be alone to draw clearly."

Finn laugh quietly, embarrass of the obvious. "I'm sorry, you know for asking such a dumb question."

"Don't be. I can't blame you. Even my parents ask me why I'm alone most of the time."

Getting ahold of his shying nature in talking with girls Finn ask "So what's your name."

"My name is Isabella Angelo, but you can just call me Willa."

"I'm Finn, but you can call me Lawrence Finnegan Whitman."

"Are you serious?"

"No." Finn laugh to his sense of humor and apparently so did Willa.

Then coming out of nowhere the big fat lady returned to the stall where the sick kid was, carrying a glass of water with pills in it and knocked on the door.

"Terrance. I got something to help with the sickness."

The kid briefly opened the door and took the glass from his aunt before closing it.

"Thanks Jelly."

"Are you alright in there Terrance?"

"Yes, I'm good. I just need to let the sickness pass for a couple of minutes."

Understanding her nephew's position, she replies "Okay then. Take your time. But not too much time."

The fat lady then walk to Finn and said "I'm sorry if my nephew interrupted your conversation with your mother."

Finn then reply to the fat lady saying "Oh it's cool. No harm done. At least he didn't vomit on anyone, then apologies would be need."

The lady nodded her head. "Um-hum. You got a point their young man."

Finn then made way for her as she walked out of the lounge area and to the small hallway that lead to the cabins. "And why does this hallway have to be so small?"

And at that moment all 3 of the teens in the lounge laughed quietly.

"I know it's kind of wrong to make fun of people, but that's funny" said Finn.

"I'm with you on that" said Willa.

Philby then ask "So Finn who's our quiet artist over there?"

Finn turn to Philby and reply "Philby this is Willa. Willa this is Philby. I can tell you two are going to like each other."

Willa then closed her notebook and gave a smirk to Finn. "And why would you say that?"

"Yeah, why would you say that" said Philby.

Finn then gather his toughs to explain his prediction. "Well first off, you two are more of the shy type than social type. Secondly, she likes to draw and you are into animation programs. And..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Willa and Philby interrupted Finn and looked to each other.

"You know how to animate?"

"You know how to draw?"

"Do you have anything that I can see?"

"Well no sadly. I'm still trying to know the basics of this new program, but do you have anything good in your notebook there."

"Of course I do. Come over and check it out."

And before he knew it, Finn saw Philby on Willa's side, being curious to her art. _Well that was quicker than expect_ Finn tough to himself.

"Finn, come over here and check out some of Willa's art."

Finn then sat on Willa's other side and could see what she had. In her notebook were various kinds of drawings and each were very detailed. Willa's art ranged from realistic landscapes, to abstract imagery, and even to cartoons and manga. In fact, she was really good at drawing cartoons and manga as it filled most of her notebook.

"Willa you got some serious talent" Finn said in appalment.

"Now this right here is what I've got to upload and animate" said Philby.

Willa smile to herself, enjoying the praise of her artwork. "One thing is for sure, after I'm done being a DHI its Disney Animation for me."

Finn look to Willa and ask "So you're a DHI too?"

"Yeah" Willa replied.

"If you're going into Disney Animation then take me with you" said Philby.

They continue to look over Willa's notebook till they came to the page Willa was working on. It was of her view of the Gulf of Mexico and despite nothing being there Willa manage to put great detail into her view of the empty ocean, down to the curving of the water.

Philby then ask Willa "Hey, you want a challenge?"

She then looks to him with a look of interest. "Okay, what's your challenge?"

"You draw me and Finn as quickly as possible and you got draw us in a fictitious scenario"

Willa often required to be zoned out of the world to draw greatly but she was interest to see if she could do the same while under stress. "Okay then, challenge accepted. You and Finn go sit where you were sitting before."

Philby and Finn then got up and sat down at the table. Willa then sat parallel to them to get both of them in her view. She flips to a blank page and got her pencil ready.

"Okay, now look at each other as if you were making a deal or challenging each other."

The two boys then stare each other down to get Willa what she asks, but before they knew it they laugh at the silliness of just looking into each other's eyes.

Willa then got their attention saying "I need you two to relax and stay still. Just act like you're having a staring contest, but you don't move your bodies."

The boys listen to her advice and postured themselves in a deal like pose.

"That's great you two, now just stay like that for a couple of minutes." And like that Willa started drawing.

* * *

1:00 P.M. (Central Time)

"Attention passengers it is now 1:00 P.M. and we are currently over Louisiana. We will arrive in Los Angeles in around 4-5 hours depending on weather conditions. That is all."

Finn and Philby slightly moved their heads to speaker above them. They've been holding still for a long time so that Willa could get the details on them right.

Finn whisper slightly not to move his face "Willa are you finish?"

Willa was still drawing in her notebook. "Almost done, just a few dashes here and there."

Philby moved his eyes to the window near the table and could see the green land below them. He found it hard to believe that they've killed so much time they've gone over the Gulf to Louisiana. And they still have 5 hours to go.

"You know being still like this for so long makes me feel like I'm in Titanic" said Philby.

That comment made Finn want to ask a curious question about Willa's artistic abilities. "Hey Willa, do you draw naked people?"

Willa stop drawing and look to Finn "Wait what?"

Suddenly the sound of the bathroom door being opened with a bang, making all 3 of them jump out from their seats. It was the sick kid who had been in the stale for so long that everyone forgot he was there. The kid of course was African American, but the thing the caught all their eyes was his size. Combining that with his shaved head, it was hard to tell if he was a teenager or an adult.

Before anyone of them ask a question to how he was, the kid faced his hand towards them and said "Don't say anything yet."

He then walked to the couch where Willa was sitting, closed the window covers, and then laid on his back to rest his aching head. Clearly he was still feeling the effects of air motion sickness. After a minute of silence from all of them, the sick kid then said "Okay, now you guys can ask me things."

Finn quickly asked "Are you okay dude or are you still sick?"

Not moving his head and staring at the ceiling the kid replied "I'm good. I just need to rest for a moment. Forget that I'm in the air."

Philby then intervene "So you're not going to vomit right?"

The kid then lifted his head to look at Philby "If you bring it up again then maybe I will."

Philby kept quiet until Willa asked "Your name is Terrence right?"

Lying his head back down and face palming his head, Terrence realizes he had made a gross introduction of himself. "Yeah. The names Terrence Maybeck, but just call me Maybeck." He then pointed his finger to Finn. "And you are?"

"I'm Lawrence Finnegan Whitman, you can just call me Finn."

Maybeck then pointed to Philby. "And you?"

"Dell Philby, just call me Philby."

And finally Maybeck point to Willa. "And you?"

"Isabella Angelo, but you can call me Willa for short."

Maybeck laid back down and chuckle. "Damn. Finn, Philby, and Willa; we all sure do hate our first names don't we."

"It's not that we hate them, it just wears out in a conversation if you know what I mean" said Finn.

"I get where you're coming from. I don't like to be called Terrence, it just a name you can't take seriously. So you guys can just call me Maybeck or my YouTube user name 'Donnie'.

"Donnie?" Philby asked.

"Yeah. DonnieFTW. I just made my first account a few weeks ago. What I do is basically do song covers. I think that my talent caught Disney's attention and that's why they wanted me to be a DHI."

"So you applied to the project too?" asked Willa.

"Of course! What kind of dumbass would turn down $50,000!?"

"Whoa watch your language there."

Maybeck then got a hold of himself. "Sorry about that. I have a tendency to swear without thinking. I'll just keep things short so I don't make my aunt angry." He then looks to the computer behind the two boys and asked "Hey, you guys want to see my videos of me in action?"

Nodding all their heads to give a silent 'yes' Maybeck got Philby's laptop and connected to the net to YouTube. In under a minute they were on Maybeck's cover of the song _Happy_.

"Oh I love this song" said Willa.

Maybeck then turn to Willa with a smile; happy to see someone love his favorite single. "Yeah. In my opinion it's one of the best songs of the decade and that is why I chose to cover it. So without further ado, here's my singing talent."

Maybeck pressed the play button and the video started with him in his room. Seeing an iron stairwell out his window in the background, they could see that Maybeck lived in an old building or apartment. But of course what they focused on was Maybeck's signing and it was impressive. More than impressive, more like professional. Maybeck's pitch and tone to every lyric was on point and he manage to hit every note at the right time. Finn, Philby, and Willa couldn't help but become enchanted by the song's beats and Maybeck's amazing voice. They were clearly seeing the birth of an artist. When the video ended, all three of them were impressed.

"Wow. Now that was good" said Finn.

"I see now why Disney chose you to be a DHI" said Philby.

Maybeck look back to them with a confident smirk and said in a Elvis expression "Why thank you. Thank you very much."

Willa then ask "How long did it take for you to be that good?"

Maybeck then explain his history to her. "About four years to be honest. My aunt uses to be a small time singer and so she taught me the basics when I was young. After hearing so many good song, I just couldn't help myself but to sing them on my own. It was fun at first but then later I decided to see if I can become a musical artist myself and so I practiced day-in and day-out. And seeing that you all liked the video, I say all of that practice has paid off."

They all node their heads in agreement. Maybeck felt like he was a kid who deserves a place on a singing reality show, but that made Philby ask a good question.

"Hey Maybeck, if you know you're really good at singing, why haven't you tried to audition for a singing reality show?"

Maybeck smile then turn sour as his had to talk about his greatest weakness when it comes to his talent. Embarrassed by an obvious element despite wanting to be an artist Maybeck rapidly said "I can't sing in front of people."

Finn, Willa, and Philby in unison said "What?!"

"I'm a shy guy OK. I want to sing to people but I can't come to grips with being in front of millions of eyes. Heck I can't even present a class project without being stiff and nervous. That's why I chose to show my talent online, because people can see you but you can't see them."

Maybeck then close the laptop and said "But I'll get past that one day. Someday I hope."

Sensing the hopelessness in Maybeck's words Willa said in confidence "Why not today?"

All 3 of the boys look to her in question, with Maybeck asking in confusion "What?"

"Yeah, why not sing to us. We are 30,000 feet over the air, there is only three members in the audience, and everyone else on the plane is in their cabins; I think this is the perfect time to try and sing live."

Finn turn to Maybeck and said "I think she's right. You got some talent Maybeck and if you want to be a singer you got to sing for people."

Philby add to Finn's comment saying "Like you said, practice pays off."

Maybeck slouch in his chair feeling a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment in being told to preform to a bunch of strangers he's never met before. But he had to admit they did have a point. Knowing that this was probably the best time to do his first ever live performance, Maybeck raised his hands and said "You guys win. I'll do it, but I don't want to hear laughter okay."

They all agreed to Maybeck's request and so he moved to the front of the plane past the bathroom stall and pass a curtain in which he stayed behind. Thankfully flight service wasn't there so it gave Maybeck so ease not to worry about making a fool of himself.

"Do you think staying behind a curtain is a bit too much" Philby asked.

Maybeck reply saying "I like to take things slow okay. Just give me a beat and clap along; I need some energy."

Finn, Philby, and Willa sat down and try to basically create a rhythm for Maybeck to sing to. Finn then shout to Maybeck "Okay Donnie, sing when you are ready."

After a minute of silence, Maybeck switch to his Donnie persona and started to snap his fingers to a beat. The three of them also contribute to the beat and with the sense of feeling happy inside, DonnieFTW started to sing his favorite song _Happy_.

" _I might seem crazy what I'm about to say_ "

* * *

1:30 P.M. (Central Time)

For about half an hour Finn, Philby, and Willa listen to Maybeck sing live and they were enjoying it. It was one thing to hear him sing in a video but it's completely different when he was singing in person. Maybeck's singing was great in person as it was in video and now the 3 of them were having a fun time helping him with his stage fright.

"OK. I think I'm getting the hang of this" Maybeck said in confidence. "Now I'm going to do it without the curtain, but you all have to turn your backs."

Finn replied "OK guys let's turn around, but do you have any other songs to sing Maybeck?"

"Yeah. _Grenade_ is another one that I'm good at"

The 3 of them turn around as Maybeck started to snap his fingers to create a beat once more.

" _Easy come, easy go that's just how you live Oh take take take it all, but you never give. Should've known you was trouble from the first kiss_ "

The three of them were just about to lose themselves in the song until a girl walked in from the cabin hallway and asked "Who is singing?"

Before he knew it Maybeck stop in his track and felt like a fool for singing out loud. "Oh shit."

The 4 of them took a look at their newest guest. The girl was Caucasian, having blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She looked about the age as everyone else but was really fit, as her shorts and tank top showed her strong arms and legs.

The room stayed quiet for a few seconds until Finn ask her "So who are you?"

The turn to him and reply "The name's Charlene."

"So your last name or nick name is Charlene" Maybeck ask.

"No. My last name is Turner; Charlene Turner."

"Well Charlene, you're the only one here that actually uses their first name."

Charlene look to the other kids around her and ask "For real? So if you all don't use your first names then what should I call you?"

All 4 of them reply to Charlene one after the other.

"Finn."

"Philby."

"Willa."

"Maybeck or Donnie, which ever one fits with you."

Charlene face showed a realization as she now understood why Maybeck's singing caught her attention. "What, Donnie? As in DonnieFTW?"

"Yeah, that's me" Maybeck replied "and I'm guessing you saw some of my videos online right?"

"Of course! A friend recommended me to see your vids so I watch them and you were great!"

Maybeck smile to once again hear some praise. "Thanks but how did you not recognize me if you saw my videos?"

"Because you looked older; I thought you were 17 or 18 years old" Charlene answered.

Maybeck took that the question by saying "What are you talking about, I'm 13."

Finn, Philby, Willa, and Charlene either drop their jaws or bulged their eyes out realizing the kid they all believe to be a near adult was in fact a kid who just got into his teenage years.

"WHAT" Finn blurted out.

"Are you being serious?" Philby asked.

"How can you be only 13 years old, your taller than my mother" Willa added.

Maybeck laugh to everyone's reaction. "That's what everyone thinks but I'm really 13 years old. I don't know why I'm so tall, I guess it's all in the genes."

"Your family is big not tall" Philby said in reference to his aunt.

Maybeck turn to Philby taking slight offense to what he had to say about Aunt Jelly. "Hey, nobody makes fun of the fat lady but me."

Willa then ask him "Why do you call her Aunt Jelly? I don't think 'jelly' is a real name."

"Here real name is Bessie, but I call her Jelly because she loves eating jelly donuts. She's a little rough on me some times but I still love her. Like I said before I wouldn't have gotten into singing if it wasn't for her."

Finn couldn't help but speak the cliché line "Not until the fat lady sings."

Maybeck look to him and said in agreement "Exactly."

The group then refocus on their newest guest Charlene, who was a bit skeptical of what to say next. "Hey if I'm bothering you all and you want me to go I can…"

Maybeck quickly said "No. No. It's cool. I'm just practicing in singing to people live."

"You're serious?"

"Yeah."

Seeing that she had nothing better to do on the plane, Charlene decide to kill her time with the 4 teenagers. "Okay then. I like to be with you all."

"Welcome to the party" said Finn.

Charlene took a seat next to Philby and opposite of Finn and Willa. It was easy to tell Philby was nervous being close to a beautiful teenage girl but not so much for Maybeck who then took a seat next to her. She then asks "Well I can see you all know each other, so who are you all?"

Finn decided to explain to Charlene who everyone is, seeing that he was the first to bring the group together.

Finn first pointed to Philby. "Well the red head British kid to your right is Philby. He likes technology, animation programs, the internet, and just about everything a geek loves."

Philby raised his hand and gave a small wave. "Yup. That's me."

Finn continue saying "And the big guy to your left is Maybeck, but you also know him as Donnie. I guess it's obvious that he sings, but he's a shy guy that has more to him. I think you'll love him."

Charlene look to her side and said "Well I love his singing, but I'm not so sure about his personality."

Maybeck look to her with a glee smile "Hey, I may look tough but I've got a soft heart okay."

Charlene chuckle to his confidence as Finn continued on. "The girl to my side is Willa and she loves to draw. I wouldn't talk to her too much because like Philby she's more of the quiet type."

Charlene look to Willa and ask "You know how to draw?"

Willa look to her and adjusted her red retro glasses. "Yeah."

"Are you new to it or a professional?"

Willa opened her notebook and show Charlene and the others the drawing she did with Finn and Philby. She drew them as 2 kings on a table with a war going beneath them and the sky doused in hellish fire. Clearly Willa drew them as 2 kings challenging each other for the fate of the world.

Finn and Philby were the first to say something.

"Now this I got to have" said Finn.

"You know I play MMO's once in a while and this fits with me" said Philby.

Charlene and Maybeck got a closer look to Willa's drawing to see the great detail in her artwork.

"Damn, you're a better artist than I am" said Maybeck.

"Oh my god, that is amazing" Charlene said in amazement.

Willa look to her notebook and smiled at her accomplishment. "I'm glad you all like it. I'm just the art girl in this group and not much really."

Finn then pointed to the last person in the group to introduce to Charlene; himself.

"And you can just call me Finn. I'm just an average kid and…" Finn try to find something special about himself, but nothing came to mind "yeah that's just about it."

Charlene smile turn to one of disappointment as she asks "Are you serious? That's all you're going to say about yourself?"

"Well what else is there to say" Finn asked.

Charlene then pointed to the kids around her. "Donnie is a singer, Philby is a smart geek, Willa is a true artist, and all you can say about yourself is that you're some 'average kid'?"

"Yeah basically."

The group laugh slightly to Finn's inability to find his special talent until he asks Charlene "Now that you know everyone here, tell us who you are?"

Charlene laid back as she tried to find things to say about herself. "Well my name is again Charlene, I'm a DHI applicant, and I'm a cheerleader and a gymnast."

Maybeck look to her and said "Is that why you're so ripped and strong?"

"Of course! You think a supermodel can do all those backflips and acrobatic moves? You need to be physically fit and practice almost every day."

"So what sports are you good at or do you just do cheerleading" Finn ask.

"No. I do many other things like track, dance, and…"

Coming out of nowhere a little kid's voice screamed "CHARLIE!"

Everyone turn to the hallway but Charlene said in a nervous voice "Oh god, not him."

A small boy around 5 years old was running down the hallway to the 5 teens screaming "Charlie, mom wants to know what's taking so long with lunch!"

When the small boy got to the cabin Charlene said in an indoor voice "Tom, be quiet. You're on a plane with other people. Don't bother them!"

The boy quiet down as he saw that the other kids were staring at him. "I'm sorry, it's just I'm hungry and so is mom and dad."

"Well go back and tell them that I'll order some lunch for us all and now go back to the cabin; don't you see I'm meeting new people."

"Okay" and with that the boy turn and walk back to the cabins. Charlene face palmed herself as she explained who the boy was.

"I'm sorry about that. That was my little brother Thomas. He's a big pain to deal with."

Finn look to her and said "Well I guess that's one thing you and I have in common because I have a little sister."

"Is she older than 5?"

"Yeah?"

"I envy you."

"I feel your pain."

"And again this is why I'm glad to be a lonely child" Philby intervened.

The five of them laugh to the random intervention, until one of their stomachs started to growl from hunger.

"You know; I think your little brother is right to be cranky from hunger because I'm starting to feel hungry too" Philby said.

Finn got up and said "You know since it is lunch time let's do this. Let's all go get something for our families to eat, we enjoy our lunch, then we come back here and enjoy ourselves away from our parents and siblings. Does that sound good to all of you?"

They nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, let's go enjoy some lunch."

With that said everyone got up and walk to the curtains at the front of the plane to order lunch from the flight service. Everyone except Maybeck.

"Hey Maybeck are you coming" Finn ask.

"I'm not eating anything until we hit the ground or have you forgotten my introduction?"

From above the PA system was turned on. "Attention everyone it's currently 1:45 P.M. Central Time and we are currently over the state of Texas. Also we have a message from the head of the DHI project. It's advises that all DHI applicants to socialize with one another for publicity reasons. This is part of the DHI applicant contract and is a necessary requirement for the project. Repeat, all DHI applicants must socialize with each other. That is all."

Maybeck look to Finn and said "Well the 5 of use can check that off the list."

* * *

5:00 P.M (Pacific Time)

For the last four hours the 5 DHI applicants had come to enjoy each other's company. The lounge area was filled with glee as the teens clapped along to Maybeck's cover of _Grenade_ as he finally overcame his stage fright. Willa had drawn him as a pop star singer preforming in front of a large crowd over an hour ago and has done the same thing for everyone else. She drew Charlene as an Olympic winner, Philby as a computer genesis being praise by people, and Finn as just some kid looking at a sunrise. Earlier before that Charlene wanted to put to rest to stereotypes of cheerleaders and challenged everyone to an arm wrestling contest. Except for Maybeck, she slammed down all of everyone's arms with ease. They all learned a new lesson, never pick a fight with a cheerleader. Philby on the other hand showed Willa the processes of doing animation both hand-drawn and digital. As for Finn, he just enjoyed the company of everyone.

Everyone stop in their tracks as the PA system turn on and announce "Attention everyone, we are 15 minutes away from Los Angeles International Airport and we advise all passengers to return to their cabins and get ready for our landing decent. Repeat, 15 minutes until decent."

Everyone stopped what they were doing until Finn said "Alright guys, I guess our long wait is over."

Maybeck relax saying "And I was just in the middle of a song." His stomach then growled from the absent of food "But then again I'm hungry."

Philby got up and said "Okay guys I guess this is good-bye."

Willa gave a soft punch to Philby's shoulder, getting his attention. "Don't say that; I hate good-byes." She then look to everyone and asked "I don't mean to imply anything but can I get your phone numbers?"

Everyone then turned their attention to her. Feeling slightly embarrass Willa continue "I know we just meet for a couple of hours but…"

"No. No. It's cool" Maybeck intervene before looking to everyone else "You guys are cool and I'm with Willa on this one."

Charlene then got out her phone and said "Well let's just pass them along and put our numbers in."

The 5 teenagers got around in a circle as they passed their phones to on another, putting in their phone numbers. Feeling a sense of joy at seeing strangers become good companions Finn said "You know what guys I think this is the start of a good friendship."

* * *

 **AN: This was a difficult chapter because I basically had to write out the foundations for each of the Kingdom Keepers. In the first book, it didn't feel natural to how the Keepers met and for the most part the social interaction was only with Finn, Philby, and Maybeck. The first book felt way to much like a boy's adventure tale, so I made this chapter to let Charlene and Willa shine for a bit. Philby is basically the technology geek as he was in the books. For Maybeck I wanted him to be a big kid with big dreams rather than the one that is suspicious or just disagrees with Finn. For Charlene I wanted to make a stronger character out of her and to give her a little brother to add some family dynamics. And lastly Willa, yeah both in the books and in fan fictions she's a blank slate. There is nothing really special about Willa so I chose to make her the artistic one that is shy and quiet. But anyway, this here is what I felt should have been how the Keepers come to met each other. Next chapter we meet Wayne and find out scientifically what Project DHI is.**


	4. Chapter 4: Project DHI

**AN: At last. This chapter is finally ready for you all to read. I am going to be honest I did not expect this chapter to be so difficult to write. Originally I was going to tie this in with the previous chapter of the DHIs meeting each other for the first time, but then I realized that would taken too long to write. This was suppose to be a very quick chapter but then I realized how many questions there were for the Kingdom Keepers series that never got answered. So I took this chapter as an opportunity to answer those questions. But first let me give a shout out and a brief reply to some previous reviewers.**

 **A guest reviewer asked if Amanda's character would be in this story later on and I'm sorry to say to Famanda fans that Amanda will not be in this fan fiction. That doesn't mean her character is cut, in the next story after this one I will introduce Amanda. There are 2 reasons to why her character isn't in Project DHI. First: there are too many characters. Having 5 protagonists to follow is hard enough and it would feel to crowded if another one was added. Also I want to give more character development to the antagonist of the story. Second: Amanda will be part of something larger. After this story the next installment will not follow Disney at Dawn and instead branch into a story dealing with the Fairlies. I don't want to get specific but that story will center on the fairy/human hybrids that were created and how they link into the events of this story. I know I've just disappointed a lot of Famanda fan, but PLEASE bear with me here. I will make it up to you guys as best as I can in the next story and if anyone has ideas don't feel shy to share them with me via PM.**

 **S Danyal Allen: Well Danyal I'm glad to have you with me on this great adventure. On Finn's father, yes his character was more stern in the books wanting his son to only focus on school; but for the most part he was a dislikable character that barely made a blimp on the radar and did nothing to support or develop Finn's character. So that is why in this reboot I decide to kill him off and make him a deceased soldier, which would make his character earn more respect than what Ridley Pearson had to offer.**

 **Now back to the story. I do have to warn everyone that this chapter is a little slow as it's a exposition chapter, but I just had to do it because there are SO many questions in the Kingdom Keepers lore that never got explained or should have been done better. And I have to just say it, how is it that this series has 10 books in it and we still know nothing about the hologram technology that is a core element to the series? I'll say more at the end of this chapter. Now let's get to how the DHI was created and how it will change the lives of these teenagers forever. This is how it should have began.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Project DHI

July 20, 2019

Mesriya Headquarters, Los Angeles, California

11:00 A.M.

It has been 2 days since the five DHIs had arrived in Los Angeles and it would be eleven days until the D23 2019 Expo. Finn, Philby, Willa, Maybeck, Charlene, and their families were taken to the headquarters of the Mesriya Corporation, a multinational company which was a leading contender in the business of technology. It turns out that Project DHI was a combination of Disney Imagineering and the Mesriya company's Nanotechnology Research Division. The deal to this project is that Mesriya would provide the nanotechnology for Disney and for paying a big price the Disney Company would use that technology for their family entertainment within the Disney Parks. This was all explained to the five families during their first day in Los Angeles, but today it was time for them to know what they all signed up for.

* * *

For about 15 minutes the 5 families had waited in a small presentation room to understand what Project DHI is in great detail and why they were chosen. In the last row was Finn's family and from his view he could see the families of the other DHIs. Philby and Willa had their mother and father, Maybeck had only his Aunt Jelly, and Charlene had her 2 parents and little brother with her. Seeing that the only applicants for this project were from Orlando, Finn found it a bit odd that there were no other applicants from different parts of the country. Soon enough the lights in the presentation room dimmed down and a woman walked into room.

"Hello everyone. Before we begin the presentation I would just like to explain why you are here at Mesriya HQ. As part of this project all DHI applicants will have to stay here for a period of 48 hours for reasons in which we are about to explain. All DHI participants must be present for this time period so if you have anything you have to discuss with your parents now's the time."

The DHIs and their families briefly talk about the 48 hour period, but it was something they could manage.

"I'm good" said Finn.

"So am I" said Philby.

"Me too" said Charlene.

"I'm ready" said Willa.

"Are we going to stand here all day or are we going to get payed for what we all signed up for" Maybeck asked in his own charistmatic manor before his aunt got him back in line to behave.

The woman at the front rolled her eyes to Maybeck's enthusiasm. "I see that you all are ready. Well then let's begin. Ladies and gentlemen I give you the head of Disney Imagineering and the director of this project, Professor Wayne Kreskey."

From the side entrance, an old man in a blue business shirt walked into the room. With his combed white hair and circular glasses, the man really did look like a professor. He looked upon all those present in the room and to each of the 5 DHIs for a brief moment. When he look to Finn, the 2 made eye contact with each other and Finn could see that the old man was analyzing them; in a sense of seeing if they were up to a standard. A standard that probably had to do with Project DHI.

The old man got in front of the presentation room and the projector from the ceiling turned on to display the presentation.

"Hello there" the old man said in a welcoming voice, "and thank you for being here today. Before I continue on, I do have to say this."

He straighten his posture and direct his focus at his audience. "What I'm about to tell you in this room is only for us to hear. As part of the agreement for your participation, you aren't allowed to tell anyone about the details of this project. If you do, then you'll be on the nasty side of the Disney company and trust me it's not something pretty. So this is your last chance to drop out of the project if you believe you aren't fit for the task or if you can't keep a secret. If you wish to leave just simply walk out the door and Disney will fly you back to Orlando free of charge."

Nobody moved as all the DHIs were devoted to the job and its perks. No one was walking out on a lifetime pass to Disney and $50,000.

"I'm being serious, there is no going back" Wayne said to his audience. They all remained seated. The 5 teenagers were ready for whatever was planned for them.

Wayne relaxed himself and was ready to give his presentation. "Alright then. I'm Wayne Kreskey and I welcome you all to Project DHI."

Wayne removed from his pocket a small black control flob which he click to start the presentation. It was a fancy introduction that had the project's logo on it. A triangle with three circles and one in the center all connected to each other. The next images showed of Walt Disney and many animators that clearly worked on all the hand drawn animated Disney films.

"Since the beginning of it all, the goal of Walt Disney and his company has been to bring characters to life. Long ago, it was by writing a character to life. Then it was by drawing a character to life. Today it's programming a character to life. But in the future Project DHI will actually bring them to life and that future is beginning right here and now."

Wayne then look to his audience. "That is no hyperbole ladies, gentlemen, boys, and girls. The goal of Project DHI is to bring Disney characters to life. Unlike cast members who can only dress and behave like Disney characters, Project DHI will take the characters from the animated films, both new and old, and allow them to roam about the Disney parks to interact and entertain with guests and families."

There was commotion among the families as they couldn't come to understand what Wayne was saying to them.

"Allow me to explain" Wayne said as he understood their confusion. He click to the next slide which followed Wayne's words directly as he said them out loud.

"DHI stands for Daylight Holographic Imagery and how we plan to create Disney characters is through holograms. However, we needed applicants to be hosts for the nanotechnology which is the first step in the creation of these holograms. DHI scientifically would be classified as molecular envelope technology or M.E.T. If you are wonder what that is, it's basically a molecular Trojan horse that gets medicines or bots to areas of the body that are extremely difficult to reach. So what area will we be targeting specifically? The answer is the nervous system."

 _Oh crap_ , Finn thought to himself, fearing the possibility of being paralyzed.

"That is why the DHI applicants need to stay here for 48 hours, because now we are ready to insert the nanobots into their hosts. Now as to how this works." Wayne click the flob yet again to the next slide.

"First we insert the DHI bots into the blood stream of the host and from there the bots will flow until they eventually meet the brain. Normally the brain has a blood barrier that would prevent the DHI nanobots from entering, but the M.E.T covering will allow the bots to penetrate through this barrier like a Trojan horse and this is when the really magic begins."

Wayne click to the next slide which showed the nervous system and how DHI would utilize it. "Once in the brain, the M.E.T will release the bots and they will connect with various neural networks of almost every branch of the nervous system. Once the all bots have made a connection to the nerves, they will relay a signal to a DHI server that will capture and monitor the movement of the host in extremely great detail."

He click again to the next slide which was an aerial view of the Magic Kingdom. "Now that I've explained why you were needed for this project, your probably wondering how exactly will this allow us to bring a Disney cartoon to life? Well after enough movement data has been collected, we can use that to program a hologram with the image of a Disney character and it will be allow to move freely and interact with guests. They will move and behave so real it will feel like the Disney character is strait out of their own film."

Pushing the flob and serious of red dots were light in groups to almost every area of the Magic Kingdom. "How these holograms will be projected will depend on 2 factors: a serious of antenna arrays and the sun. The red dots shown here are antenna arrays already up in the Magic Kingdom and they are all connect to a large server room that houses the DHI servers. These servers are out of sight and housed 2 stories underground beneath the park's underground utilidor system. The servers took so much space we had to construct another utildor system beneath the existing one. And of course the 2nd factor to how the holograms will project is the sun; after all this is called 'Daylight' Holographic Imagery. All holograms require a source of light and the sun will be the key component to these holographic Disney characters to come to life. The antennas will capture the solar energy of the sun's light rays and will convert them to project a colorful hologram that is forged in a 3 dimensional image. So the DHI servers and antenna arrays in the park will allow a holographic 'cyberspace' to exist in the Magic Kingdom and the sun will be the power source to allowing this holograms to be formed."

Wayne click on the flob one last time to conclude his presentation and the last slides were of a montage of the various Disney properties throughout the world. "If Project DHI is successful in the Magic Kingdom and Disney World, then we plan to expand it to other parks both here in the United States and around the world such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, and Shanghai. We believe that Project DHI will be future of Walt Disney's dream to bring characters to life and that future begins right here with you."

The lights in the presentation room slowly lite up as the presentation was over. Instead of interest and fascination all Wayne could see in his audience's faces was confusion and disbelief. Everyone was silent for a minute, unable to wrap their minds of the complex and convoluted nature of what the signed up for. All remained quiet until…

"Bullshit."

Everyone turn their eyes to Maybeck, all except his Aunt who grabbed him by the shoulder hard and pull him close to whisper in his ear. It was hard to tell whether she was telling him to watch his language or threatening to beat his ass later.

"I wouldn't be surprise to your disbelief, but you have to watch your language. Don't you see we have a young boy present" Wayne said as he pointed to Charlene's little brother. "But if you all are confuse then that's good; it will be an extra security measure to not tell anyone. After all you can't tell someone a secret if you can't understand it. But because there are health issues involved I will take any questions about Project DHI and I will answer to the best of what I can share with you. So, any questions?"

Despite breaking the silence, everyone remained quiet. Feeling the atmosphere being full of doubts, Wayne look to Charlene's brother Thomas and ask, "Hey little guy."

Thomas turned his head to Wayne, who just broke his day dream. "Yes mister?"

"What do you thing about DHI?"

"Well umm…" Thomas though trying to remember what Wayne just talked about. "I think seeing a Disney Princess would be cool. Will they be just like in the movies?"

Wayne smile to the boy and reply "Yes they will be young man. They will be either 3D, as in they'll look like real people, or be 2D which will be their cartoon form. After all, we don't want to make the scary cartoons real and scare everyone off."

With Thomas's question, everyone was now getting their mind back to focus and now they were starting to ask questions. Everyone spoke all at once but Wayne got things under control.

"One at a time okay. Just raise your hand and I'll call on you."

Everyone raised their hand and Wayne picked on Aunt Jelly.

"What's your question ma'am?"

"Um yeah; I don't mean to sound rude or anything like my son here" Jelly look to Maybeck, "but don't you think this is going a bit too far? I mean instead of all this technically mumbo jumbo to capture movement why not just use motion capture? You know put someone in a green suit and record their movement; that sounds cheaper to do and less complicated."

Wayne answer her question by saying, "Motion capture is merely a recording of movement and a recording can't be changed once it's captured. DHI on the other hand is a complete capturing of the nervous system, which is the relay system of movement, emotions, and feelings. For example, I show you a toy robot and that robot can only move by the data it is given. If I used motion capture and I want the robot to walk, it will walk and that is all it will ever do. However, if I used DHI on the robot and I want it to walk then that robot will walk, but will also run and use other parts of its body like the arms and head. Like I said, we are trying to bring to live a Disney character and for that to happen they must know how to move every part of their body by their own wile and not stick to a single recording of movement."

Willa's mother then raised her hand to ask, "Yeah about that, what do you mean that these Disney characters will 'move by their own wile'? Is there some type of AI in the DHI server that is controlling them, because if not then you're not making a hologram, you're making a person with toughs and feelings?"

"The characters will be able to move on their own, but they will not be able to act on their own. They can move around the parks and talk to guest like a real person, but our DHI servers will limit the behaviors in which the characters will exhibit. Things such a vulgar language, hateful gestures, and aggression will all be cut from their interaction with guests. So if you make a Disney Villain angry, she may taunt you but she will not try to kill you. But that's not likely because the characters are holograms."

Philby's parents both raised their hands simultaneously and Wayne turn to them to answer their question. Philby's father was the first to speak.

"Mr. Kersky I like to know some specifics about the nanotechnology you are about to put in our kids. My wife and I are employees of Mesriya and we wish to know more about this project."

Wayne stood still for a moment as if he had changed to a persona of caution. "Well that depends of what you're asking sir. But go ahead."

"Well Mr. Kresky when our son Philby got your letter asking for his participation we accepted it, but when we learned later that it was a project involving Mesriya my wife and I did some research at our workplace and you know what we found?"

Feeling a sense of distrust in the room Wayne put his arms in his pocket to strength his cooperative gesture. "What?"

"We found nothing."

Everyone's heads turned directly to Philby's father, who then rose from his chair. "We found nothing in Mesriya's databases about a hologram project or any type of deal involving Mesriya and the Disney company. We searched every possible source we could to see what exactly Project DHI was and all we found was an article of Disney taking down a previous leaked article earlier this year."

The parents in the room turned to their teenage applicants fearing that they may have signed up for something that was in uncharted territory and may not be safe.

"Your letter did say this was proven to be safe by medical professions, so that is one reason we didn't walk out of this room, but still what is EXACTLEY is DHI?"

Philby's mother also stood up on her husband's side. "Based on your presentation there were 2 elements to the nanotechnology: the DHI bot that does the work and the M.E.T that merely covers it for protection. We know about the M.E.T but what my husband is asking about is the DHI bot. There has to be some special element in it if it can be small enough to connect to nerves and still manage to relay messages to a server."

Her husband continued saying,"If the M.E.T is the Trojan horse, then the DHI bots are the soldiers merely waiting to unfold a tragedy. All we want to know is if these soldiers are friendly or not."

"So what's in the horse Mr. Kresky?"

Philby's parents concluded their question and sat down. Everyone then look to Wayne demanding both explanations and answers.

Wayne sighed as he try to answer their questions. He then looked up and said, "First on the DHI bots. We can't tell you what the special element to the bots are because it's information that is top secret to both Mesriya and Disney Imagineering. No one else can know because we don't want anyone to know the secret ingredient to our project. So I'm sorry to say Mr. and Mrs. Philby that we can't tell you every detail about Project DHI."

Philby's parents laid back in disappointment and turn to Philby being worried about what this project could do to him.

"Secondly, on to why Project DHI wasn't in your workplace's databases. We deleted any mentioning of Project DHI in both Mesriya and Disney databases to prevent leaks to the public. Earlier this year a Disney employee got wind of DHI and leaked some brief information out before we could delete the article. So that was because of PR reasons."

 _Well that explains how Dillard knew about DHI,_ Finn thought to himself.

"I'll take 2 more questions and that will be all" Wayne said.

Charlene's mother raised her hand and said, "Yes, why do you need our children to do this? I'm a nurse and you don't need teenagers to do all of this. This whole process would in fact be easier if it the hosts were adults, so why not use them instead?"

Wayne answer her question by saying, "Like the letter said, this technology only works with a specific age group and 12-17 years is the age gap for DHI to work. Their nervous systems are simplistic to read and the bots can inserted easily by simply injecting them into their blood stream. We tried the idea of using adults as hosts for the holograms, but their nervous systems were too complex for the DHI bots to handle. So complex that if we wanted to put DHI bots into an adult they would have to be inserted by a spinal tap in which you put a needle in-between two vertebrae."

"I know what a spinal tap is Mr. Kresky. Like I said I'm a nurse." Charlene's mother sat down back in her chair.

Wayne could sense the tone of distrust in her voice but he could understand her reasoning. In fact he could sense the distrust in everyone as they stared at him with uncertainty.

"One more question" Wayne said to everyone, but this time he was going to choose who gets the last question. He had already let almost everyone ask a question, but he heard nothing from the family in the back. "How about you three in the back row?"

Finn was surprise to hear the old man call his family out. "What sir?"

"Do you want to ask the last question before we begin the project?"

Finn's mother and his sister turned to him as they believed that this last question should go to Finn as the other families had already asked all the questions that were important. Finn tough for a moment of what to ask. He wanted to ask why they should trust Wayne's word, but that would sound too mean spirited as the old man did work hard for this project and he did work at Disney. But he did wonder why all the DHI were from the same place so he went with that.

"Yeah why did you chose us?"

Everyone turned to Finn wondering why he would ask an obvious question to an answer everyone knew.

"Um, in case you weren't listening Whitman, he just said that only teens could do this thing. That's why we were chosen."

Finn brushed away negativity aimed at him and said, "No, I mean why are all the DHI applicants from Orlando? There are millions of teenagers across the country that would have been better hosts. So what makes us so special?"

Seeing that Finn did have a point they turn to Wayne for an explanation.

Wayne replied saying, "You were chosen because you are all close to Disney World and if there is anything wrong with the project we will have a quick means to get to you. There is more to why you were chosen but all of that will be explained in time as the project goes on."

And with Finn's question answered, it was now time for the applicants to leave their families. Yet before the business women in the far corner could say anything Wayne intervened and turn to address the concern families.

"Look I can tell that you all are nervous and you have a right to be. You're worried about your children and you want to know if what we are doing to them is safe. That's all understandable. But let's get something clear."

Wayne took off his glasses and changed his tone to one of upmost business. "If you think Disney, Mesriya, or me are taking your children away to be some lab rats in an experiment let me remind you that it was YOU that agreed to apply to the project. We are not wasting a quarter of a million dollars just for you all to enjoy yourselves at D23 or being a hologram just for fun. If you are to earn a great reward you must take great risks."

With his words the families started to come to a realization that Wayne was correct in his statement. They did sign up for the project and it made sense as to why Disney would pay them $50,000 each to test this new technology. They lowered their heads in shame as they've been naive to the situation.

Wayne sighed as he put his glasses back on and lowered his tone of voice. "Having said that, just because there is a risk doesn't mean we can't take safety precautions, and we've done every safety precaution there is for Project DHI. I swear to you that your young family members will be safe from this procedure and if anything goes wrong we will do everything in our power to mend it. You have my word."

The families in the presentation room didn't fully trust Project DHI, but they did trust Wayne's words in that brief moment.

The woman in the corner finally came out and said "Okay then, will all DHI applicants follow me. You will stay 48 hours here in Mesriya HQ. At this time, the day after tomorrow, the applicants will return to their families and you all will enjoy yourselves until D23."

Finn, Philby, Maybeck, Charlene, and Willa all gave hugs to their parents as they got up from their seats to leave. Before the DHIs and Wayne could exit out the door Philby's father rose from his chair and said, "With all due respect Kresky, do you think this is all a bit too much just for Walt Disney's dream to come true."

The 5 teens turned around to face Wayne as he answered the question. "Sir, I shook hands with Walt Disney a long time ago and with that handshake he made my dreams come true. I respect the man with my heart and I find it fitting to repay him by making his own dream come true."

And with that said, Wayne and the DHIs left the room to begin Project DHI.

* * *

[The next day]

July 21, 2019

Undisclosed Location

9:00 A.M.

A knock on the door caught Finn's attention, followed by someone on the other side saying, "Mr. Whitman it's time."

"Okay I'll be out in a second" Finn replied as he was putting on his shoes.

Yesterday after the DHIs were separated from their families it was noted to them that they would have to eat and drink as little as possible before the procedure could begin. Apparently the teens will have to be contained into a capture box of some kind and they aren't allow to get out of the box for 24 hours, meaning no restroom breaks. All the teens watched carefully of what they ate and drank since the following day and now it was time.

Finn got up to open the door and leave the room. Outside was a man ready to escort him to the Mesriya labs.

"Follow me, the rest are waiting for you" said the escort and so Finn followed him.

As Finn was navigated through the large complex, he had to admire the headquarters of the Mesriya Corporation. Finn was on the 10th floor of the complex and the scenic windows that were continuous along the side of the hall reveal the city of Los Angeles out in the far distance. Eventually Finn met up with the other DHIs waiting along the railing of the HQ's central atrium. It was a majestic sight for the DHIs to look down the colossal atrium from which they could see elevators along the walls, escalators traversing the atrium's chasm, and the glass ceiling above in which they could see the blue sky. Seeing all of this just showed the DHIs that Mesriya was indeed a big deal in the realm of technology and business.

The escort then said, "Alright now that you are all present follow me to the elevator."

Finn, Philby, Charlene, Maybeck, and Willa follow the man to a glass elevator. Once all were onboard the escort used a key on the button board and pressed on the level buttons in a random order; almost like a code. Their decent was fun to say the least, with the elevator being glass, but instead of slowing down near the first floor they kept their descending pace. The elevator then pasted through the first floor and was now underground, turning the entire elevator dark. Eventually the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened. What laid before them was a clean and brightly light hallway that made the teens feel like they were in the halls of a hospital.

"Come along now. Professor Kresky is waiting for you all" said the escort.

The kids continued on as they look briefly at the windows along the hall. It turns out what the kids were seeing were the labs where the nanotechnology was being built.

"DHI nano-tech synthesis complete" a digital computer voice could be heard from one of the labs that housed a huge machine that caught the five teenagers' attention. They could see the scientists in the lab walk to the machine and remove a vile from a centrifuge hook to the large machine that had a lot of monitors on it. From the distance the kids could see the vile was blue and glowing. They knew all too well that soon that stuff would be in their nervous systems by the end of the day.

Getting back on track, the 5 teenagers walk through the door at the other end of the all right there before them was Wayne in a lab coat instead of his blue business suit from the day before.

"Well quite an assemblage we got her" the old man said with a small chuckle. "Does anyone want to say a few words before we begin?"

The kids didn't say anything as deep down they were nervous, but then Philby started to talk.

"Mr. Kresky."

"Please call me Wayne, I don't mind."

Philby then corrected himself; being kind of nervous of what he wanted to say. "Well um…Wayne" he took a deep breath and quickly said, "I just want to say that I'm sorry for my parents the other day. I know they were harsh to judge you and…"

Wayne interrupted Philby to say, "There is no apology needed. They were only concerned for your safety as every parent should be."

The others turn to Philby as he continue to speak. "I just felt like I had to say it. I can see that you've spent a lot of time putting work into this and I just feel bad for my family to judge your work after all that effort."

Maybeck patted Philby on the shoulder."Don't feel too bad Philby. We all are scared of how this is going to go down. But let's not forget if we get through this then we get Disney park passes for life and a pool full of $100 bills for us to swim in."

The group chuckled to Maybeck's words and Philby smiled to the wise words of his new friend.

"Now that we got all the sad bits out of the way, does anybody now want to say something before we begin" Wayne asked.

This time the DHIs look to Wayne in confidence to pull through this project and Philby only spoke three words.

"Let's do this."

Wayne smiled to those words. "Alright then, come with me."

The teenagers followed Wayne to a locked door where he used a keycard to bypass the door's security. The teens then entered a bigger hallway that had split into a fork in the road. There were 2 hallway paths that diverged at a sharp angle and not only were they very long but also 2 stories high. It was confusing to see such architectural designs for an underground lab.

"Okay follow me this way" Wayne said as he led them to the right hallway. On the right side of the hallway were 2 doors that were at least 60 feet separate from each other.

"Charlene and Isabelle, these 2 rooms will be yours for the next 24 hours. They aren't assigned rooms so just pick one and enter."

And with that said, Charlene and Willa entered the rooms and only the boys remained with Wayne.

"Come along, I'll show you all to your rooms" Wayne said directing the boys down the hall. When the reach the end, it turned sharply left at another angle and the hall before them was the same. Two doors, each being 60 feet from each other.

"Dell and Terrance, these rooms are yours" Wayne said.

Maybeck turn to Finn and Philby and said, "Guys if I don't make it out of that room alive I just want you to do one favor for me."

Finn and Philby look to each other, both wondering what Maybeck was talking about.

He then smiled to them and said, "Please let a pop star do a concert on my grave. So that way I can sing along with the angels."

Before Philby could say anything Finn walk slowly to Maybeck and patted him on the shoulder saying in a calm voice, "Okay Maybeck I will admire your dying wish."

"Really?" Maybeck ask.

Finn then gave a smirk smile to Maybeck. "I'll give Justin Bieber a call when I can."

Philby laugh out loud upon hearing that.

"Oh screw you Whitman!"

Wayne broke up their commotion and said, "Okay Maybeck that's enough for now. How about you go in there and prove that you've got what it takes."

Maybeck then entered his room but not before saying, "Okay you guys, I'll see you later."

Philby then entered his room and the only people left in the hallway was Finn and Wayne.

As the two walk down the hall to the last assigned room, Finn turned to Wayne and asked, "Hey Wayne."

"Yes."

"The day before, you said that you shook hands with Walt Disney. Is that really true?"

"Yes it is."

"So when did that happen?"

"On January 29, 1959."

"Oh, okay" Finn said, but then he started doing the math in his head; at which he suddenly stopped. "WHAT?!"

Wayne stop at well as he turn to Finn.

He continued saying, "1959? If its 2019 does that make you over 60 years old?"

"Yes it does. And I have to say for on old guy like me, I'm in pretty good shape."

Wayne continued to walk and Finn followed as well, stun to realize Wayne was much older than he though. But then Finn asked another question. "You answered me with an exact date. January 29, 1959. What exactly happened that day that makes you remember it?"

This time it was Wayne who stop first in his tracks at the corner of the hall and turn to Finn. "That was the day Disney gave me a job to W.E.D Enterprises, which would later become Disney Imagineering. It was what I always wanted to be and that was the day I became one."

"Well I guess it's true after all" Finn replied, "I guess Walt Disney did make many people's dreams come true"

The two turned the corner and down the hall there was another room ready for Finn. Yet it was odd to see the entrance of where they started at the other end of the hall. Finn then realized that they had walked a complete triangle.

"And this right here will be your room" Wayne pointed to the door on their right.

Finn mustard up what courage he had in him to get ready for the procedure. "Just like Philby said, let's do this." He walk to the door and entered the room, closing the door behind him.

What Finn saw was a large room that was big as the halls outside, but this time there was a large glass wall that cut the room down the middle that was perpendicular from his viewpoint. He soon realized that there were 2 glass walls that cut through the room and between them was an area for someone to walk around it. This is what Finn and the others were going to be in for 24 hours.

On the side of the room where Finn was there was a doctor and two assistants waiting for him. Yet on the other side of the room, beyond the 2 glass walls were columns of servers that were ready to collect data on the DHI bots. Finn would admire the room later, as he was going to stay in it for a long time.

Finn walk to the assistants who had him lay down on a table. The doctor was carrying a large needle gun in which he inserted a vile of the bluish liquid that the teens saw earlier. This liquid was no doubt carrying the DHI nanotechnology within it. Looking away, not having the courage to see a needle, Finn closed his eyes in fear, waiting for the needle to puncture his artery. He clinched his teeth as he felt a feeling that felt like a pebble was being shot through his arm. Finn look to see that the needle was in his artery and the doctor was pulling the trigger for the blue liquid to slowly go into his bloodstream. After a minute the vile was empty and the DHI bots were now inside of Finn. The doctor and his assistants patched up Finn's arm before waiting for a couple of minutes in case of hemorrhaging. Then an intercom system was turned on.

"Hello everyone, this is Wayne Kresky. Are all applicants ready for the next step of the procedure?"

The doctor of the room walk to the door and pushed a button on the wall next to it. "This is the room for Whitman, he is ready."

After a moment of silence Wayne return to say "Now that I've got confirmation that all 5 DHI hosts are ready, doctors will you please let the applicants enter the capture chamber."

The doctor then walk to the glass chamber that split the room where a key hole could be found at the far end. After unlocking the glass door he turn to Finn and said "Alright then, in you go."

Finn got up and walk into the glass chamber where the doctor then closed the door and locked Finn in.

Seeing a bit of concern and fear in Finn's face the doctor said "It's okay, this is all part of the procedure."

"He's right" Wayne spoke from the intercom, "the reason why you have to stay in the chamber for 24 hours is because the chamber must maintain a static atmosphere with no disruptions."

Finn looked around trying to find a camera, which Wayne was probably viewing him through and said, "So if you can hear me Wayne, what happens if we need something that we really need and you have to open the door?"

"I can hear you Finn" Wayne replied, "and there is a small glass container in which we can insert things on one end, lock it, and send you items without compromising the chamber. These are just small things like water and snacks, so don't think anything big coming through."

Finn took a breath of relief upon hearing that.

"Doctors and assistants, you can now leave the rooms" Wayne said. The doctor and his assistants then exited the room and locked it. The lights were turned off, leaving Finn alone in a dark room with the only light being from the green lights of the servers on the other side of the glass chamber.

Suddenly the floor within the chamber lite up into a blue stream of light. The light illuminated the entire room blue and for Finn it felt surreal to see what was happening. Then he heard something behind him and what lied before him was a wall of blue light coming towards him. Finn didn't know what to do but it didn't matter because the light went straight through him.

Wayne through the intercom said, "Don't worry, it is only scanning your body; trying to scan where the DHI bots are. The strip of blue light beneath your feet, in which you will be standing on for the next day, is a harmless radiation that will capture and read your movements once the bots connect to your neural network. The blue scanner that just passed you was merely to tell us where the DHI bots are within your body."

"So what do you want me to do for the next 24 hours" Finn asked.

"Just act like your auditioning for a play" Wayne replied, "act like you're welcoming some guests to the Disney parks. Before we do the Disney characters we will test it first with you 5 as the first holograms in Disney World."

Finn was shock to hear this as it wasn't something he talked about the previous day. "So I'm going to be seen by everyone in the Disney parks as a hologram?"

"No; your holograms will only project in a certain time when no guest are around, like the early morning when the suns up" Wayne said. "Besides, we need something to show guests at D23 in the next few days."

Finn sighed in relieve. "Okay good. I don't want my worse recording to be my only recording to people."

Wayne got back on track to explaining. "The scanner will pass you every 15 minutes from here till 9:00 A.M. tomorrow. The lab assistants will give you whatever you need for the next day as long as it can fit through the small exchange unit. Till then, just move about. Make whatever movement you can and run around if you need to."

"So is that it then" Finn asked.

"One more think" Wayne said, "You are going to have to sleep."

"What?"

"It is part of the procedure, your brain operates at different waves lengths and the DHI technology needs to monitor those waves to work. So sleep as much as you can or at least for 8 hours."

Finn was surprised to the strange request but it didn't bother him. "Okay then…I guess I'll just be in here then."

"There is a clock above the door of the lab, to give you a time lapse. I'll call back every hour or so to monitor you and the others. So until then, act like you're at D23 showing off yourself as a hologram."

And with that Wayne turned off the intercom. Finn was now standing alone on a blue strip of light in a glass chamber with a scanner spanning the height of the enormous room. With nothing better to do, Finn though of the most basic thing to say if he was introducing himself to an audience.

"Hello my name is Finn."

* * *

July 22, 2019

Undisclosed Location

12:00 A.M

"Oh my god, please be over already" Finn said to the clock. It has been 15 hours since he was put in the chamber and his time there felt like he was in solitary confinement. He had come to realize why people view it as a means of torture; death by boredom.

The room was still the same as it was before. The floor in the glass chamber was still glowing blue. The scanner had scan Finn's body about a 60 times, and he knew that to be exact as it was the only thing he could do. And the room stayed dark with only the servers making a slight humming noise. For 15 hours Finn had moved within the chamber in every way he could think possible. He was certain for sure that he would have something to show during the DHI showcase in the next few days. The lab assistants usually came every 3 hours or so to give him something small to snack on, but Finn was starving and could only dream of eating out at a fast food restaurant or pizza joint. The sooner that clock read 9:00 A.M the better.

Earlier on when he decided to take a few naps to kill time, Finn asked for some workout clothes that would be comfortable to sleep in and thankfully the assistants manage to fit a small blanket and pillow through the small exchange unit. With midnight now upon him, Finn decide to sleep once again and hoped that he would stay asleep until morning. He used his normal clothes as a bed sheet to cover the blue floor and relax his head on the pillow while covering himself with a blanket. After half an hour he felt like he was going to dose off, but then something unusual was happening.

A bright pulse flew through the blue floor and it woke Finn up almost instantly. He rubbed his eyes to wake himself up and to see what just happened. All was normal until the pulse moved underneath the floor again, but this time Finn felt a bit of discomfort in his brain like he was having a small headache.

Then there were 2 pulses that moved underneath the floor and now he felt a sharp pain in his head, like a needle just penetrated through his brain. Before Finn knew it there were 3 pulses that moved beneath his feet and this time he howled in discomfort as the pain was starting to hurt more. Second after second the frequency of the pulses increased and Finn's howls started to become screams. From his brain to his spine Finn felt an electrical sensation coursing through his nerves. It was as if lighting was arching down his back. He turn to the glass walls to look at a reflection of himself to see what was wrong with his body but he look normal.

As the blue light floor transform into a flowing river of bright pulses Finn could hear something grow louder. It was the servers on the other side of one of the glass wall and they were sounding like they were overflowing with energy. Finn clenched his fists as the pain was continuing to move throughout his body. Eventually he couldn't contain his pain and he screamed in agony thinking that he was possibly going to die from whatever was coursing through him. Yet in that moment the floor suddenly flash into a ray of light that was so bright it blinded Finn and turned the entire chamber and room white. Then all the lights turned off. The blue floor in the glass chamber was off. The servers were off. It was as if all the electricity suddenly turned off.

The room was now pitch black and the painful sensation in Finn stopped. Yet it had already taken its toll on him and he drop to the floor passed out and was now asleep.

* * *

9:00 A.M.

The sound of the alarm woke Finn up instantly and he look to see what had happened to him. He was still in the glass chamber and the floor was now normal again, as in no blue light. He was surprise he wasn't in a hospital because whatever happened to him last night sure was painful enough to knock him out of conscious.

Then the intercom turned on and Wayne said, "Oh, good you're awake and just in time."

Finn got up on his feet and spoke in a demanding voice. "Wayne what the hell just happened!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what was all of that last night?! The floor started acting up and I felt a burning sensation throughout my body! So what was with that?"

Wayne replied, "That was us testing the DHI nanotechnology to its maximum capacity. It was the final stage of the procedure and we tough it best not to tell you all as you and the others would have all panicked."

"Well tell us next time okay" Finn scream out loud, "I tough I was going to die or something!"

"Well you are alive are you not?"

Finn realize that he was right and started to calm himself down. "I guest so, but you still should have warned us."

"Don't worry, the others are fine and still standing, so don't think that anyone is paralyzed or anything like that. If you don't believe me go out and see for yourself."

The moment Wayne ended his sentence the door to the room was open and a lab assistant walk to unlock the door to the glass chamber. Finn got up as fast as he could and sprinted out of the glass chamber and out into the large white hallway. Never before was he so happy to get out of a room.

"Finally" he said as his stretch out his body. Then he remember about the other. Before he knew it he heard a familiar voice down the hall.

"Whitman, is that you?"

Finn turn to look at his left and he could see Maybeck down the hall.

"Yeah. Hey is Philby alright down there?"

"I'm good" Philby replied as he walk behind Maybeck.

The two boys then ran to Finn, yet when they got to him he ask them, "Where are the girls?"

A distant voice could be heard at the other end of the hall. "Guys are you okay?"

All three of them ran to other side of the hall that completed the hallway triangle. When they reach the corner they met up with the two girls and were at the doors of where they had entered.

Philby ask Charlene and Willa "Are you two alright?"

"Yes the both of us are okay, how about you guys" Charlene asked.

"Well we're all walking and we all look fine, I guess we're all safe" Maybeck replied.

"Just like I promised" Wayne said as he walk through the doors to the see the 5 teenagers.

Before anyone of them could say anything, Maybeck walk pass Finn and Philby and pointed his finger to Wayne saying "You know what else you would have promised us? Giving us a heads up when something painful is going to happen!"

Wayne replied to a furious Maybeck saying, "Like I said before, you would have panicked if we told you."

"PANIC" Maybeck screamed, "I thought I was going to die! I feared that Justin Bieber really was going to sing on my grave!"

The girls turn to the boys, wondering what Maybeck meant in which Finn reply, "Hey, he wanted a singer to sing at his funeral in case he died."

"You know Maybeck" Wayne said, "if you did die in that room Disney and Mesriya would have let Taylor Swift or Adele sing on your grave and we would make them write a solo song of you in remembrance."

Maybeck could tell from his voice that he was telling the truth and so he took a few steps back, nodding his head to Wayne's honesty. "Okay then old man, we're cool."

Wayne look to the others and said, "We monitored your bodies while you all were passed out and everything reads normal. The DHI technology is now a part of your neural network and there are no signs of any irregularities within your bodies. You are the same as you were when you entered."

"So can we now think about getting out" Willa asked in a nervously; hoping there was no more surprises.

"Of course" Wayne replied. "Just follow me to the elevator and all you have to do is wait for a couple of hours for your parents to arrive."

The 5 teenagers then follow behind Wayne as they left the large triangle hallway and retraced their steps back to the smaller hall that housed the labs were the DHI bots were made.

Out of curiosity Finn look to the others and ask, "So what did you guys do while you were in there?"

"What do you mean" Philby reply.

"I mean it was torture in there" Finn said, "not being able to do anything. All I had to do was either sleep, walk, or talk to myself."

"That wasn't the case for me" said Philby.

"Same here" said Willa.

"Me too" said Charlene and Maybeck at the same time.

Finn was surprised to hear their responses. "What? There was nothing to do in that chamber. How did you guys not get bored?"

"I read a book" said Philby.

"I drew Disney characters" said Willa.

"I practice singing and doing some dance moves" said Maybeck.

"And I just did some gymnastic moves" said Charlene.

Finn couldn't believe that he didn't think of any of that while in the chamber. "Damn I need to get a life" he said quietly to himself.

"Yes you do" said Maybeck who heard him.

They walk through the doors at the end of the hall and were back at the elevator that led to the surface. Wayne inserted his key in the board to call it down. As they waited for the elevator Philby turn to Willa and ask, "Hey is it okay if you show us your drawings Willa?"

"Huh" Willa replied.

"I mean if it's okay with you that is" Philby continued, "it's just you draw so well and you know."

Willa at first didn't know what to think, but she knew Philby and the others long enough to trust them. "Um, sure. Okay." She then revealed a small drawing book that they didn't see.

"So what characters did you draw" Charlene asked.

"Just Disney Princess and Disney Villains." Willa then opened the drawing book to show everyone her art.

Finn, Philby, Maybeck, and Charlene all gather around to see Willa's drawings of the Disney characters and they were all very good. She managed to draw them in poses and appearances that weren't directly from their films. While the teens admired her art, Wayne said "I always wonder what you were drawing Isabella. If you post them online then maybe Disney Animation will give you a call."

The elevator arrived and all 6 of them got onboard. Wayne pressed for the 1st floor and they were on their way up to the surface. The elevator was dark but the lights above managed to give some light for them to see.

"Hey Willa" Finn said, "Show Wayne your drawings. Maybe he can say something to Disney about your talent."

Willa was a bit hesitant to Finn's statement, but she realized that Wayne was the closest thing to Disney to present her talent. She passed the book to Wayne, in which he decided to look at the book, curious of Isabella's talent and for the fact that she did participate in his project. Wayne flipped the pages having a smile on his face; seeing that Willa did have an artistic talent. But suddenly he stop flipping through the books and his smile melted away as he stared ambiguous to the page he was looking at. The teenagers knew something was up.

"Wayne" Finn said in concern, "Are you okay?"

Wayne stayed silent for a few seconds as he look to Willa and said, "You draw her very well."

They all moved behind Wayne who stood under the light to get a glimpse of what he was referring too. The page in which Wayne was staring at was of the Disney Villain from Sleeping Beauty.

"Hey I know that villain" Charlene said, "She from Sleeping Beauty I think her name is…" It turned out she didn't know so turn to the others. "What was her name?"

"Her name is Maleficent" Wayne said in a tone that was distressing.

In enthusiasm Willa said, "Yeah don't you think she's great? She's my favorite Disney Villain and there's more than that."

Everyone was surprised by Willa's sudden change of character. "Hey what's up. I though you were the quiet type" Maybeck questioned.

Willa turned to say, "I love fiction okay. I may not be that social and all, but if something I like is brought up, that's the only time I'll express myself."

She flip the pages to show more drawings of Maleficent, some of them with her having hair, others with her being in different emotional states. Wayne admired Willa's talent for drawing a creation that he wish didn't come to be.

Wayne turn to Willa and said, "You know Isabella, you remind me of a man I once worked with."

"Who?"

The elevator suddenly flashed brightly as they were on the first floor and the doors open.

"Perhaps another time" Wayne said to Willa as he gave her book back to her.

All of them then exited the elevator and Wayne turn to them to say his final words. "Before you go, I just want to say thank you for being a part of Project DHI. I am grateful for your participation and in helping me achieve an old friend's dream."

Wayne then pulled a few business cards out from his coat and passed them to all 5 of the teenagers.

"If anything goes wrong or if you have any questions, please give me a call."

Finn look to the card that Wayne gave them. It was a black card with one side having the DHI triangle logo and on the back was Wayne's contact information.

"Don't lose theme okay" Wayne said, "you never know when you will need to call me."

"Okay then", Finn tucked the card in his pocket and extended his hand for a handshake. "It's been a pleasure to work with you sir."

Wayne shook Finn's hand and said, "Thank you young man."

The others said their good-byes as they each gave Wayne a handshake.

"I hope that we see some holograms soon" said Philby.

"It's been a good show old man, I hope you give the world your best performance" said Maybeck.

"Thank you and I hope everything works out" said Charlene.

"I hope your dream comes true" said Willa.

Wayne then took a few steps back and moved his arm to the side. "Your parents will be here in a couple of hours. So go on. Enjoy your time here in Los Angeles, you all have earned it."

"Okay then, I hope we see each other at D23 later on" Finn said as the 5 teens walk away towards the headquarters' entrance that would be on the other side of the complex. They waved their hands in good-bye to Wayne before they were out of his sight.

Standing alone in the middle of the large atrium, Wayne said to himself "Trust me kid, we will be seeing each other more often than that."

* * *

 **AN: I know to some that this chapter was a bit boring because it was an exposition chapter, explaining how DHI works and how the teens got it into their bodies, but this was a chapter that was necessary. Not only to the story, but to the Kingdom Keepers lore as a whole. In the first book how the Keepers became holograms was putting them in motion capture green suits and just leaving it like that. That is no way to explain the other crazy things that the hologram tech did for the Keepers. How were the holograms projected? Why could they only exist in the Disney Parks? Why did do the Keepers only become holograms when they sleep and they control there movement while they are asleep? How could they turn into holograms outside of the park as the series went on?And of course how does this tie in with the Disney characters all coming to life? NONE of these questions are ever explained in the books! I don't know if Ridley Pearson lacked the creativity to give a believable explanation or most likely could not explain it; but either way it was a very pathetic way to explain a technology so advance and so vital to the Kingdom Keepers lore. So this is what I did to reboot Pearson's ideas.**

 **1\. The Mesriya Corporation: Throughout the series I never once believed that Disney Imagineering could create hologram technology this advanced. This technology would have been made first by a technological or military company instead of a family entertainment business. After enough thinking I decide that in this reboot series the creators of the DHI holograms would be the Mesriya Corporation, a completely new aspect that isn't in the Kingdom Keepers series. This is the company that makes the hologram technology and Disney uses it; that is far more believable than Disney being the only ones who created it. This new company will play a larger role as next installments come to pass; especially the next one where Amanda will be introduce.**

 **2\. Letting the characters ask questions that the audience have as well: Seeing that this chapter was mostly exposition, I wanted the characters in the story to ask questions that I'm probably sure you all are asking too. If you got to have characters explain things, either make the story answer some distracting questions or allow it to add in some world building.**

 **3\. Science: I just have to say this right now, I'm more of a science fiction fan than a fantasy fan. When I first heard of the Kingdom Keeper series all that went through my mind was this tough: science vs. magic. And I never got that from the Kingdom Keeper series. Now I know this is a Disney story and you got to add in some fantasy and magic, but when it comes to the DHI aspect you just HAVE to be scientific in explaining this element in the story. I just want to say that this chapter will most likely be the most scientific chapter of the story as we are moving into some mystery and fantasy. Also, just because I love science fiction doesn't mean I don't have any fantasy elements to add to this reboot series. Trust me this is just a small part of a larger mythos, one that is both science fiction and fantasy.**

 **4\. Let it enhance the Disney aspects and not distract from them: When it comes to the Kingdom Keepers, Ridley Pearson tried to tie in too many aspects that didn't work with each other. The lore of the Kingdom Keepers mythos comprises of 3 aspects: the DHI/ reality aspect, the Disney Magic aspect, and the Fairly aspect. None of them work with each other because each of them feels like they are from a different story of a different genre. At some points the series wants to be science fiction and a documentary, dealing with holograms and talking in great detail about Disney rides. Then at some points it just wants to toss reality aside and just focus on Disney characters, all of which are made completely out of character! And at some points it wants to be a super human/mutant story with the Fairlies and their escape from the government. I can't help but feel that Ridley Pearson was trying to bit more than he could chew. So for Project DHI I only focused on the reality and Disney aspects. Amanda's character being cut was part of leaving the Fairly aspect out. For this chapter I believe I found a way to connect the holograms with the Disney characters coming to life with DHI being the reason to both their existence in the story! This makes the many different aspects of Kingdom Keepers more like they are connected rather than apart.**

 **Behind the scenes note: I just have to say one more thing that I want to share with you all. Everything that you read in this chapter was because of a school assignment! A couple years back when I was in high school I took a class in Anatomy and Physiology and one of our assignments was doing 6 current event papers, and one of the articles I found to write about was about molecular envelope technology (M.E.T). Yes, this stuff really does exist! And everything I learned from that article helped me in finding a believable and scientific reason to how DHI works in the reboot of the Kingdom Keepers. I share this with you because it proves that the world around you can help you in making a fictional story or fan fiction. So read as many stories as you can, but also learn from the world that surrounds you. Everything helps in some way.**

 **Well that was a lot to talk about for some author's notes. I hope you all enjoyed this reboot aspect to the Kingdom Keepers lore. These four chapters are the introduction that should have been in the first book. Now that we've got this story going, the next chapters will move along quickly. Next chapter we will be where Ridley Pearson began with the asking of a single question. 'What happens at Disney when the lights go out?'**


	5. Chapter 5: The First Crossover

**AN: What is up everyone, this is Proto back again with another chapter. With all the character building and the introduction aside, let's get down to where Ridley Pearson began with the Kingdom Keeper series. Just a few quick replies back to reviewers of the previous chapter**

 **S Danyal Allen: I'm glad you enjoy Maybeck's comedy. If there is one universal factor to Maybeck's character throughout the many fan fictions, it's his ability to make someone laugh. If you can, please check out the story 'Maydorkiness', it's a quick fun story that really does well in expanding his character. I'm happy to see your still onboard for this story Danyal.**

 **Life's-For-Living: I'm glad to see you here buddy and you were right on Willa being out of character in the last chapter. I guess I was so caught up in the exposition I forgot to keep the characters in check. No problem. I fixed her character in the chapter 4 in an update and made a few twiks.**

 **Anyway, here is chapter 5 of Project DHI.**

* * *

Chapter 5: The First Crossover

August 25, 2019 (Sun.)

Whitman Residence

11:00 P.M.

A knock was heard behind Finn's bedroom door, followed by his mother's voice.

"Finn, it's late. You're starting high school tomorrow."

Finn spin his desk chair to the door and reply, "Okay, I'll go to bed in couple of minutes, promise."

"Alright then, but you better be in bed soon" She then let Finn be and left him.

Finn turned back to his desktop computer and put on his earbuds. He usually stayed up till 12:00 or 1:00 in the morning, but because high school begins so early it was a bummer that he had to start sleeping like he was in elementary again.

His bedroom was quiet of course with only his lamp light on, it was better than having the whole room be lite up in the late hours of the night. Finn was just streaming the net just typing in whatever came to mind whether it was some news over entertainment or gaming. Yet oddly enough he wanted to look back at what happened over the summer after their visit to Mesriya HQ. He searched for 'Project DHI presentation' in the search engine and clicked on the tab showing a first person view of the presentation at D23. Playing the video Finn felt like he was playing back time as he heard the announcer speak to the grand audience.

"From Disney Imagineering we present to you the latest step in Disney Entertainment. Welcome to Project DHI, powered by Mesriya."

The first to step onto the stage was Wayne as he explained to everyone about how DHI would soon bring Disney characters to life and how they would enhance the Disney experience. Of course he didn't get into the details as he did with Finn and the others. After that Wayne decide to give the audience a demonstration of what Project DHI would be. An orb of some kind was moved to the center of the stage and the auditorium was turned completely dark. With no sun to give off any light for the holograms some artificial lights were used instead. Then from the center of the stage came a blue hologram in the form of Finn and he gave a basic wave saying "Hi, my name is Finn."

 _REALLY?! I was in the box for over a day and that's what they use for me!_ Finn thought of that then behind the curtain at D23 and he was still thinking it now in his bedroom.

Suddenly people were gasping as a hologram ran through Finn's hologram and sprinted through the audience. Turns out it was Philby's hologram. Then they showed Charlene doing some acrobatic moves, but on the walls of the auditorium and across the ceiling. The audience was wowed by such a sight and even for Finn he had to admit that was amazing.

 _Damn, I wish I could do cool stunts like that._

After that Maybeck's hologram was presented on the stage and amazingly whoever ran the presentation wanted the audience to hear Maybeck sing a cover. As Maybeck sang everyone clapped along and sang along. Finn remembered seeing Maybeck get a bit teary eye back stage, overjoyed at seeing that people actually loved his talent.

 _Well Donnie, looks like you found a safe way to preform after all._

Finally after the grand applause to Maybeck's performance the final hologram to be shown was Willa's and it was just her sitting in the center of the room drawing in a book. But from her book random lines came out of it and they moved across the auditorium and the audience, eventually become outlines of Disney characters. The artificial lights then turned off and the blue character outlines were the only light in the room until then eventually faded away.

Finn smiled behind his computer as the recording of high cheers emitted from his ear buds. The people were cheering and applauding to the presentation that was given to them. Afterward Wayne came back on stage and he presented the 5 DHIs that helped make such a presentation possible. The 5 teenagers were brought up and it was a very weird feeling for Finn as he never been on stage in front of so many people. Charlene looked the most calming, it figures she is a cheerleader after all, but Finn could see the awkward feeling in the others. Philby was just taking deep breaths, Maybeck smiled nervously as his stage freight was starting to show itself, and Willa merely looked away as she was clearly out of her comfort zone. Thankfully they didn't need to stay on stage that long.

Finn, Philby, Willa, Maybeck, and Charlene all took turns of saying about their experience with DHI and hoping to see it in the parks. After the 5 of them were done, Wayne turn to the mass audience and told them that the their holograms will be the beta testers within the Magic Kingdom this year until Disney can present any Disney characters. He then went on to say these 5 special DHI holograms would be dubbed the 'Kingdom Keepers' because they would be over watching the Magic Kingdom.

 _Seriously? Kingdom Keepers? You couldn't have come up with a better title?_

After that the presentation went on for a while till it was over and the video came to an end.

"Okay" Finn said to himself, "that's all for tonight."

He exit out the window and shut down his computer for the night. Finn look to his desk and opened a drawer, which he pulled out his Disney Park Premium VIP Pass which arrived in the mail a week ago. The extra pass that was promised was given to Dillard down the street. It is no $50,000 but it was good enough for him. At least Disney kept their word and there was something good to come out of all this. Finn hoped that the others got their passes as well. He also hoped that he would see Philby, Willa, Maybeck, Charlene again because they were good friends during their trip. It had been awhile since they've talk, but after a crazy summer experience it was necessary for them to be back in their normal lives.

Finn got up from his desk to walk to his bathroom where he did the usually thing; floss, brushing his teeth, and mouth washing. He closed the door to his restroom as well as his window blinds. With everything done, he turned his alarm clock on, turned off the lamp, and went to bed.

* * *

August 26, 2019 (Mon.)

12:15 A.M.

Minutes felt like hours as Finn tossed and turned in his bed, trying to fall asleep. The silence and darkness in his bedroom made him feel like he was not in his bedroom but an empty void were only he existed. Apart from the air conditioning, there was no other sound in Finn's home. Because his family had a talent for not being so afraid of the dark, there wasn't a light on in the entire house. With no sound and no light it was hard for Finn to tell if he was awake in his room or asleep in empty thoughts.

Finn then calmed his mind to think of an old memory that has always helped him fall asleep. A memory from Finn's childhood when his father was still alive and before Ray was even born. That memory was a sunrise at the beach. This is one of Finn's earliest memories as a kid. His mother told him that when his father was still alive he loved to take them to the beaches of Cape Canaveral and at times he would wake them up in the early hours of the morning so that they could walk along the beach till the sun rose from the horizon. Finn remembers the memory well. He remembers his father and mother having flashlights to light up the beach and they would walk far away from the condos and hotels till there was nothing but ocean, sand, and vegetation. It felt like they were the first people ever to walk on the sands of Florida. Eventually the sky would light up and in the distance they would see the sun rise up from the ocean's horizon and that image would be sketched into Finn's mind forever. He could still see the orange and purplish clouds and the crashing of the ocean's waves; with Finn sitting down in between his mother and father. As far as Finn could remember, this was the probably the happiest moment he had with both his parents alive. His mother told him she named Ray after that moment because the memory always brought warmth to her soul. Finn couldn't agree more.

Eventually Finn's eyes became heavy, his thoughts faded into nothing, and he fell asleep.

* * *

Everything was blank to Finn's consciousness as he laid back in his sleep. His body felt weightless as he felt and though of nothing, yet for some odd reason he was aware of his existence. It's something Finn never understood about being asleep. But suddenly he felt pressure underneath himself like he was no longer in a bed but on some stone floor. Then he heard the sound of something flapping in the air. The sound was too real as it was loud enough to knock some thoughts into Finn's head. He opened his eyes and saw the American flag in the night sky.

 _That's odd. I never dreamed of a flag before._ Finn rubbed his eyes as he woke up, but then he noticed something. He hands were glowing blue!

"Whoa!" Finn yelled in surprise as he stood up. Then he was frozen in bewilderment as he saw his surroundings. He was in the center of Town Square at Main Street USA of the Magic Kingdom. The buildings looked so real, from their lights to their signs. He felt like he was standing in the park in real life.

Finn said to himself, "Okay, this isn't normal."

Then a voice from behind Finn said "Of course it's not."

He turned around to see an old man sitting on a bench wearing khaki pants and a collard shirt. Finn recognized the man from his white hair and circular glasses.

"Wait a minute, your Wayne right" Finn asked.

"Yes I am" Wayne replied.

"So what are you doing in my dream?"

"This is not a dream Lawrence, this is real."

Finn was about to say something, but then he stopped and gave a small chuckle. "Wait a minute. This is one of those ultra rare dreams where you talk to someone and you feel like everything is real."

"Lawrence, again this is not a dream" Wayne said to Finn's denial.

"And I'm going to wake myself up right now." Finn then closed his eyes and slapped himself hard to wake himself up. But he didn't feel any pain for some odd reason and when opened his eyes Wayne was still there and they were still in the park. "Why am I still here?"

"You're asleep at home, but your awake right in in the Magic Kingdom."

Finn walk to Wayne and said, "How does that make any sense at all?"

Wayne sighed as he knew this would be the hard part. "I'll give you 3 reasons as to how this is not a dream."

"Okay, shoot."

"First is the flagpole you just woke up under. That is the American flag and it has 7 red stripes, 6 white stripes, and all 50 stars; too much detail for a flag in dream."

Finn walked back to the flagpole to examine the flag and Wayne was right. It did look like a real American flag, having all the characteristics that Wayne mentioned before.

"Secondly" Wayne continued, "look at your own arms and legs?"

Finn look at himself and could see that he was glowing all around.

"Never mind that your body is blue, but notice your movements from your fingers to your limbs? Have you ever had a dream in which you saw your body in action? Not just looking but in action and moving to your commands in as if you were awake?"

Finn then moved his arms and legs at random. It then came to his mind of just how aware he was of his movements. He could feel where his limbs were. He could sense where his body was. It did feel like he was awake and moving.

"And finally, I'm here and I'm having a conversation with you, Lawrence Finnegan Whitman." Wayne then took out his phone, "And it is 12:45 A.M, Monday, August 26, 2019, at Town Square of Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom, in Orlando, in Florida, in the United States of America. And I assume that tomorrow is your first day of school."

Finn froze as he stared at the old man. He never had a dream where someone spoke in that great of detail. He look back to the flag which was blowing in the wind. He looked at the Magic Kingdom around him. Then he looked to himself as his mind put the pieces of the puzzle together. Once the picture was complete, it all came to him like a freight train.

"HOLY SHIT! WHAT THE FU…"

"HEY, hey…" Wayne interrupted as he snapped his fingers at Finn, "watch your language okay."

"LANGUAGE!" Finn yelled in surprise, "I'm a blue hologram! While asleep! In Disney World! In the real world! AND YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT MY LANGUAGE!"

"Lawrence I need you to calm down so I can explain" Wayne said as he got up from the bench.

"Calm down" Finn said in frustration as he walked away from Wayne back to the flagpole. "This is can't be real. This is can't be real. This can't be real. How I'm I a hologram?! How am I in Disney World?!"

"LAWRENCE!" Wayne screamed as he stood next to Finn, who then turn to him. "Your here because of it's what you signed up for."

"What?" Finn asked in confusion.

"You are here because of DHI."

"What are you talking about?"

"First, calm yourself down" Wayne said.

"Listen I don't…" Finn replied until he was stopped by Wayne.

"If you don't calm down I won't say anything else! So if you want some answers, you got to get a hold of yourself now!"

Finn was about to say something, but he knew it would be pointless now. He walked away from Wayne to Main Street that lead to Cinderella's Castle; needing to walk off his frustration. Surrounded by the iconic shops of the Magic Kingdom, Finn knew for certain that this really was the real Disney World. He look to himself once more and could see partially though his body. He really was a hologram. Finn look a deep breath and exhaled a lot of air, trying to calm himself. He knew that he wasn't going to get any answers alone. He turned around and walk back to Town Square where Wayne was waiting.

"Are you calm now" Wayne asked.

Finn took another deep breath and said, "Okay, I'll go along with this. Assuming this is real."

Wayne smiled as the boy had finally gotten a hold of himself.

"So why am I a hologram" Finn asked.

Wayne answered, "Do you remember that time when something odd happened while you were in the box chamber when we put those DHI bots into you?"

"Yeah. It hurt badly and you said it was something about pushing the bots to their limit; right?"

"Well, that was for the bots to connect to your entire nervous system. That way when you fall asleep, you would have a hologram to control here in the Magic Kingdom."

"But wait a minute" Finn asked, "I went to bed at my home, so how…"

Wayne answered "You went to bed at home, yes. Your body and your normal self are safe in your bed, but the hologram you are in control now is with your mind."

Finn turn to a shop window nearby and saw himself in the reflection. He looked like his normal self, but was wearing black shoes, black pants, and a black T-shirt. "So, this isn't my real self?"

"No" Wayne replied, "What you are seeing is a hologram of yourself controlled by your mind while asleep."

Finn then turn back to look at Wayne to ask another question. "But if I'm here, then how do I wake up. How do I go back to my normal self?"

Wayne then pulled out a black flob of some kind and said, "This here will return you back to your body at home. After which you will sleep normally. And before you ask, no this won't happen every time you sleep. This will only happen when the park is closed and at night."

"So… can you press that thing now and let me go home?"

"Unfortunately I can't. Once you crossover into the parks, it will be 1 hour till you can return."

"Great" Finn said in a sarcastic tone. "But hold on. What about the others? Philby, Willa, Maybeck, and Charlene? Are they here too?"

"No Lawrence…" Wayne relied before Finn interrupted him.

"Can you just call me Finn" Finn feeling awkward to hear his first name being used.

"Okay. Finn…" Wayne corrected himself "The others aren't here. For tonight it is only you. For the rest of the week I'll let each of them individually crossover into the park and basically tell them what I'm telling you."

"And that is?"

"Telling you how to use your hologram and the Artimus while you are crossed over."

Finn didn't understand the second part of Wayne's answer. "Um… what is the Artemis?"

Wayne then walk to Finn while asking "Check your left wrist."

Finn looked and what he found was a black bracelet on his left wrist that he never noticed was there.

"Press on it" Wayne said.

Pressing a button on the wristband a small holographic scree projected from the bracelet and covered Finn's forearm. It was blue just like Finn's hologram and at the top of the screen was the word _Artemis_.

"Whoa" Finn said in astonishment, "so what is this?"

Wayne then explained, "Do you know how in some video games there is an in-game map to guide you?"

"Yeah."

"Well that there is your in-game map for the Magic Kingdom."

Finn examined the holographic screen and scrolled through it with his finger. It worked exactly like a tablet and he pressed on a tab labeled 'waypoint' and clicked on the map at Cinderella's Castle. Then a blue line rushed under Finn's feet and moved towards the Cinderella Castle.

"Did you see that" Finn asked.

"No I didn't" Wayne replied, "And that's good because only you can see it."

Finn turn to Wayne. "So this Artemis thing, it's basically a guide for me?"

"Yes it is."

"And it's a part of my DHI, right?"

"Yes. And it's for all of your holograms."

Finn realized that he really was dealing with something of a science fiction game. It was a good thing he played science fiction games otherwise he would be confused.

"So is there anything else to this" Finn asked.

Wayne replied, "Why don't you walk around in the Magic Kingdom and figure it out. You are going to be here for a while before you can return."

Finn looked around him realizing Wayne had a good point. He was going to be in the park for an hour till he would wake up in his normal body. What the heck. Finn always wanted to see what the Magic Kingdom was after hours.

"I'll be back then, but make sure you have that flob ready" Finn said.

"It will be ready. Now go on."

Finn nodded to the old man and ran towards the Cinderella Castle and then later the whole park.

* * *

1:40 A.M.

"Well, I think this should help" Finn said before tapping on a tab on the Artemis that was labeled _night vision_. Suddenly Finn's view turned blue and blurry as everything that hide in the shadows was revealed to him. It felt like he was wearing a pair of night vision goggles, but there was nothing on his head. He then realized that the night vision was built into his eyes! He press the tab again and his vision returned to normal. He press it again and he had night vision once more.

"Okay, now this is cool." Finn continued walking and was now exiting Frontierland and into Adventureland; wanting to return back to Main Street USA. Finn for the last hour has been touring around the Magic Kingdom as a hologram and the feeling of being in Disney World with no one around could only be described as surreal. Deep down Finn felt like this was a dream but when he remembers to what Wayne said earlier, the tough of this being real was just incomprehensible.

Finn had been at Cinderella's Castle and circled back to it by passing Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. While Fantasyland felt the same, the sight of Space Mountain and its white covering lighting made it a beacon landmark in the night. Returning back to the castle Finn decide to check out the other side of the park. After walking through Liberty Square, things started to get dark. Even when the park is open this side of the park was still creepy at night because of its overlapping darkness. So dark in fact that Finn walk to Frontierland and ended up at a dead end at Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. He backtracked and was now walking though Adventureland. On his way to let Wayne return him to his body, assuming this was not a dream that is.

As he walked past the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, Finn look down to his left forearm to the bracelet, admiring this Artemis thing. While he walked around the park Finn had toyed with it like he would toy with objects if he was playing a video game. In fact that exactly what the Artemis felt like. As if it was something out of a video game.

The Artemis system was more than just a map of the Magic Kingdom or being a waypoint system. There was of course a night vision ability, but Finn couldn't believe that it also had a motion tracker on it. Yes, and real life motion tracker! Finn used it while in Fantasyland and he manage to track the movement of some squirrels and birds. To him this was a science fiction dream come true. But that wasn't all to the Artemis. It also had a coms tab that had an option of text or radio. Finn assumes that this will be used when the other DHIs come around. There was an enviro tab that was basically an environmental monitor that read temperature for weather and electrical power for the park's power supply. Why this was needed for a hologram, Finn didn't know. But what was also included was a tab labeled scanner, from which he tested out, but all that happened was a ray of blue light projecting itself from Finn's forearm and going up and down. It looked similar to the big blue scanner that was used on him back in Mesriya. This scanner was meant to scan something, but like the environmental monitor ability Finn didn't know what it was for.

As he exited Adventureland and was back at the plaza in front of the Cinderella's Castle, Finn overlooked every ability to the Artemis. There was the map of the Magic Kingdom, a clock, a countdown timer for the return flob, and the following tabs on the side.

 _Communications_

 _Environment_

 _Motion Tracker_

 _Night-vision_

 _Scanner_

 _Waypoint_

Seeing that he had only 3 minutes left, Finn turn to Main Street USA. But before he walk down the street Finn realized something that didn't cross his mind.

 _Wait a minute, I'm a hologram! Why don't I just walk through something?_

Curious to see what would happen, Finn turn to the ice cream shop at the corner of the street and walk to the doors; stopping right in front of the entrance. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said "Well here goes nothing."

Finn took a few steps and when he opened his eyes he was inside the shop. He walked right through the door!

Filled with astonishment and glee, Finn laughed and cheered at the same time as he really was a hologram that could move through objects. For a moment Finn hoped that this wasn't a dream because if all of this was real then he was a part of something historical.

He then turned to the wall of the shop that lead down Main Street back to Town Square and decide to do something crazy. Finn then sprinted towards the wall and just like that he past right through it through the other store. Then the next and the next. Passing though cashier counters, tables, and walls without feeling a thing. As soon as he knew it Finn walked through the last building and was back outside, back at Town Square were Wayne was waiting on the same bench.

Finn looked back in astonishment and said, "Holy shit. Did you see that?"

Wayne then got up to his feet. "Didn't I say to watch your language Finn?"

"Well what do you want me to say?!" Finn asked, "I'm a hologram that can walk through things. I'm in Disney World at the late hours of the night by myself. AND with all this Artemis stuff on my wrist I feel like I'm in a real life open world video game. If you don't think that is something to use bad words for, then what else can you say?"

Wayne smiled as he stood to think. "'Oh my god', 'this is awesome', 'I can't believe this'…"

"Okay. Okay. I get your point" Finn said. He knew that being a Disney employee meant watching your manors with people, but Wayne was something else as far as Finn could tell.

"So can you return me to my normal self now?" Finn asked.

"Just one quick thing first before you go." Wayne answered.

Letting out a sigh of disappointment Finn replied, "What is it?"

Wayne then took a small Mickey Mouse keychain out of his pocket and tossed it to Finn saying, "Catch."

Finn grabbed the keychain and asked, "Okay you gave me a keychain. What do you want me to do?"

"You already did it" Wayne replied, "That keychain didn't go through you."

Finn look at his hand and realized Wayne was right. The keychain didn't go through his light holographic body. Just a minute ago he walked thorough a dozen shops, but now his hologram was physically holding something as if he was really there.

He turn to Wayne and ask "How I'm holding this"

"If you concentrate on what you want to do, your hologram will become physical and you'll be able to grab objects and such."

"So…what happens if I do this while half my body is in a wall?"

Wayne chuckled to that. "Well you won't be cut in half if that is what you're asking. You'll probably be stuck in the wall for a bit till you calm down and become a hologram again."

After a few seconds the keychain fell through Finn's hand. Then a blipping noise then came from his bracelet and he pressed on it where a message appeared saying: _You are ready to Return_.

"It says that I'm ready to return."

"So press on it" Wayne said.

Finn touched the message and a red indication arrow was suddenly above Wayne and a red line was going beneath Finn's feet to where Wayne was.

"Why is there a big arrow over you and a red line?"

"There is no arrow over me Finn, that's just part of the Artemis in sync with your DHI hologram" Wayne answered, "And the red line is leading you to the return flob which I have here." Reaching for his pocket Wayne pulled out the black flob he showed earlier. He then walk to Finn and asked "Just press the red button and you'll be awake at home."

Finn reached out for it but paused for a moment to ask, "How do I know this isn't the most realistic dream I'll ever have in my life?"

Wayne rolled his eyes seeing that Finn couldn't accept the reality of what was happening. He turn to the night sky and pointed at the full moon. "See the moon? When you wake up it will look exactly like that when you wake up." He looked at his watch and continued. "And it will be about 1:50 when you wake up."

Finn didn't want to stay in this crazy dream anymore. He concentrated his hologram and took the flob from Wayne's hand.

"Okay then. See you later." And like that Finn pressed the button and all of a sudden there was nothing. His vision was black. His energy was gone. His body was tired. It was as if he was back in the black void again. Drifting quietly evermore.

Opening his eyes after a jolt of energy burst from his brain, Finn found himself back in his bedroom. He rubbed his eyes with his hands, but this time he wasn't glowing blue.

 _What kind of dream was that?_ Finn thought to himself as he turn to see his clock which read 1:50 A.M.

At first he just saw the time, but then Finn's eyes widen from the realization that Wayne in his dream said it would be 1:50. Needing to know if this was real, Finn quickly got up from his bed and to his window were he open the blinds and in the night sky there it was. A full moon. Just like in his dream. Only now it wasn't a dream, it was real.

Disbelieve froze Finn where he stood as he saw the moon. He really was a hologram at Disney. He really did talk to Wayne in the parks. All those crazy video game abilities he had were true. Everything he did in that dream was real and there were no words that he could say. He couldn't speak or think. All that was on his mind was that he really can control a hologram at the Disney parks while asleep.

Finn face palmed himself as he forgot to ask a question to Wayne. 'What was the real job to them becoming holograms?' With all that trouble just for them to be holograms there must be something that Wayne wants the 5 DHIs to do in the Magic Kingdom. Realizing that this was real, only more questions flooded Finn's mind. But he wasn't in the mood to overthink everything.

With nothing to do in expressing his crazy experience. Finn decided to just go back to bed. He will flood his mind with questions in the morning, now he just wanted to get some sleep. He just hoped he wouldn't wake up in the park again.

* * *

August 26, 2019 (Mon.)

Undisclosed location

12:45 A.M

[1 Hour Earlier]

Her eyes were open from the jolt of energy that coursed through her brain and forced her to lean out of her bed. She didn't know what was going on but after a few seconds she collected her toughs to look around her. It was a force of habit for her to observe her surroundings when she woke up. She always feared that she would wake up back in California, in a time where she was a stranger to a new world. Seeing she was still in her gown, on her royal style bed, and in her bedroom, she breathed a sigh of relieve to see she was still in the present. Her attention was now on what woke her up. The force she felt was that of a magical aura that was resonating for some source. This source was clearly foreign to her and it clearly must have reacted with her own aura of dark magic. This was something she had to investigate.

She pushed aside the black sheer curtains that outlined her bed that was so large it could fit up to ten people. If there is one thing she was obsessed with it was her beauty sleep. She moved her long legs across the bed till her bear feet made contact with the cold floor beneath her. Before she got up she felt a cram in her neck as the weight of her horns was bothering her. Feeling no need for dark magic, she removed a silver bracelet of some kind off each of her horns and tossed them aside on a cabinet countertop next to her. She cleared her mind to subdue the dark magic that flowed through her body. Soon enough her horns disappeared, leaving only her black raven hair, and her white chalk skin turned into a more natural skin color. Her natural body wasn't a powerful vessel to conduct the magic she would normally use but it would be good enough for her small task.

She then got up to exit her bedroom and walk down the hallway to the computer room at the far end. Upon entering all the computer monitors turned on as she thought of looking through surveillance cameras in the parks. Feeling that the magical presence was strong, it must be originating in the Magic Kingdom nearby. Setting down to rest herself, she touched the central monitor with her finger and thought of searching for anyone that is present in the park. Without touching a keyboard or inputting any command, the computers all around her suddenly flashed with various live feeds from security cameras. It was a good think that the computer hardware that she had was modern. It made things easier for her than previous decades of hardware.

It took no more than 5 seconds for a camera to read someone was in the park. The location was Town Square of Main Street USA. From the feed there was an old man on a bench talking to a person that was blue. The blue person she knew was a DHI hologram that was clearly being tested, but what caught her attention was the old man. Upon zooming in the feed, her eyes widen as it was someone she was all too familiar with.

The paperboy. Wayne Alcott Kresky.

Anger tremored through the veins of her hands as she looked to the person responsible for her imprisonment. She warned him years ago never to come back to any Disney Park yet there he was in Main Street USA.

She was about to get up until the hologram that Wayne was talking started to act unusual. From the feed she could her their conversation.

"Lawrence I need you to calm down so I can explain"

"Calm down! This can't be real. This is can't be real. This can't be real. How I'm I a hologram?! How am I in Disney World?!"

"LAWRENCE! Your here because of it's what you signed up for."

"What?"

"You are here because of DHI."

 _So that's it_. The magical presence she felt was the hologram. It wasn't a prerecorded hologram, it was one that was controlled by a teenager outside of the park. But why would such circumstances come to be? It was clear that Wayne is responsible for the teenager's presence in the park, but what was he using the kid for?

 _What are you playing at Kresky?_

She casted her anger aside as she continue to watch Wayne and the boy throughout the night. For some odd reason the adolescent boy she watch looked familiar. Too familiar. She knows that he is a DHI host as D23 revealed that to her weeks ago, but for some odd reason she felt that she had seen this boy earlier than that. But whatever her suspensions were it wouldn't matter, she would be talking to the boy and the other DHIs soon.

For now she would remain in the shadows and merely observe. This time and only this time, she would let Wayne make the first move.

* * *

 **AN: That concludes this chapter and damn am I really moving this slow? Before I wrote this chapter I though it would be a small chapter, but I guess when I added the Artemis system to the DHI, I extended things a bit too much. Let me just explain a bit on some aspects to this chapter.**

 **Finn's reaction to being a hologram: I reread the first few chapters of Disney after Dark and I don't believe there was ever a moment where Finn or any of the Keepers were in shock to the fact that they can control holograms in their sleep. In the books they just blindly accept it and there is no reaction to that. For this chapter I wanted Finn to represent how the reader would feel if there were in his situation. Seriously, how would you react if you were in Finn's position?**

 **The Artemis: Just like the Mesriya corporation the Artemis system is also a new concept that is not in the Kingdom Keepers book series. While making my rough sketch for Project DHI, I was originally going to let the holograms be as they are and Wayne would give them physical equipment like flashlights and night vision googles but that didn't feel right. So I figured 'why not have it build into the holograms' and that is where the Artemis came from. The holograms are already advanced enough, why not give them sweet abilities? This is where my love for video games came into play. Speaking of which, yes the Artemis is based off from a video game; one in a franchise that I grew up with as a kid; second to Disney. There is more context to why this system is titled the Artemis, but I'll get to that some other time in the story.**

 **Finn's childhood memory: On a very small note, I never bought the whole 'being in a tunnel' idea for making Finn fall asleep. Why not let a calm memory do the job? And if you know your fairy tales, yeah I made a small reference there with Ray.**

 **If any fans out there were a little bored with this chapter, I might as well say some aspects to this reboot story that I want everyone to know.**

 **1: The ending WILL be different: The ending for Disney After Dark was really dumb and I refuse to see Finn and Maleficent fight through a mile of shit. It is going to be completely different form how Ridley Pearson ended the book and it will be done in a way that actually creates fear and suspense.**

 **2: No Overtakers in this reboot: Now there will be other Disney Villains in future stories, but they won't be called the Overtakers and Chernabog WILL NOT be the main antagonist. In this reboot Maleficent is the main villain and those that are secondary antagonists will most likely be original characters whom are similar to her; so say good bye to Tia Dalma and Evil Queen as her backup.**

 **3: There is only one: For this story, Maleficent will be the only Disney Villain for these 5 DHIs to battle. No pirates. No possessed animatronics. This reboot of Disney after Dark is what my boyhood dream of this scenario would be: 5 modern day teenagers vs. 1 Disney Villain. And that villain is my favorite Disney Villain of all time, Maleficent. The one from 1959. You know the one that is actually a villain!**

 **On a very small note: Maleficent's hideout isn't under any Disney ride okay. In the books it's under Pirates of the Caribbean but f* &k that shit. I'm giving her place that Ridley Pearson never mentioned and is actually so under the radar that not even the most hard core of Disney fans know it's location.**

 **Well that wraps up this Author's Note. I can't believe I haven't said this, but please please PLEASE review. Your feedback is very much appreciated. And I don't mean that as just to give me complements, I really want to see what you guys thing of the story so far. Is it too slow? Are the new ideas interesting? Are there any elements that don't work? I want this story to be as enjoyable for you guys as possible. So please comment and review if you can.**

 **In the next chapter we will meet another character. Last chapter I disappointed Famanda fans by saying Amanda's character wouldn't be in this story (she'll appear in the next one), but her sister on the other hand, she is something different. And I mean that literally.**


	6. Chapter 6: Jezebel

**AN: What's up people, it's me Proto and sorry about the very long hold up. Just been trying to find some time to write as summer vacation has ended and we must all return back to school, college, or work. I know it's a bit tiring to see my be so apologetic all the time from chapter to chapter but I can't help myself. I'm glad to have you all as being the first to read my first fan fiction and I feel obligated to give you guys the best story there is and do it as fast as possible. As usually, a few shout outs to reviewers of the previous chapter.**

 **loveit: I'm glad you like the extra additions to the DHIs. It just felt like it was needed for their adventure. I mean come on they're holograms why not give them some extra toys to play with. I like your idea on if one of the Keepers has trouble adjusting to their tech, I'll think about that. I'm pleased to see that you're enjoying the story.**

 **Jay Hayden: No apologies are needed Jay, your enjoying the story and that's all that matters. I'm glad I'm not alone when it comes to Charlene. She must be more than just the flirting drama girl and so I decide to work off her cheerleading aspects to give her a more unique angle. As for the history between Maleficent and Wayne, yes this needed be in the books but it never did. I have no idea why the story didn't evolve Maleficent to be more, heck the book series could have given her an origin story when she lived a previous life in the 14th century and gone for something disturbing and mature. But for this story it's only Maleficent for being the villain. Others will join her in other stories but I will say this. 'Lieutenants' is the EXACT word to describe her allies and they aren't Disney Villains. As for the Fairlies, they will be explored in time and in this story Jez's character will shed some light on the subject. But Jez will be more than what the book series has for her, but I'll get to this at the AN at the end of the chapter. I'm glad you know the Kingdom Keepers as well as I do Jay and that you're enjoying Project DHI.**

 **Well then, let's get on with it. This is Chapter 6 of Project DHI. Turn's out I'm not the only one having to go back to school.**

* * *

Chapter 6: Jezebel

August 26, 2019 (Mon.)

Freedom High School

9:00 A.M.

"How did you forget to set your alarm if you knew that high school would begin at an early time?!"

"I'm sorry okay. It slipped through my mind" Finn replied to his mother as they were both in their van driving to his new school. Apparently Finn forget to set his alarm clock.

"It won't happen again, I promise." Finn reassured his mother.

She sigh in disappointment. First day of high school and her son forgets the most basic thing in getting ready for school. She pulled up towards the front of the high school to park the car along the side. She was glad that the school traffic had pass. There was nobody up front except for one girl who was just starring at the building.

Finn's mother put the car on park near the curb and reminded Finn not to forget his class schedule and all.

"Okay mom, I'll talk with Dillard and take the bus home."

"Alright then, good luck. I love you."

"I love you too." The side door to the van opened allowing Finn to exit. "I'll see you later then." And with that his mother drove off down the road.

In front of Finn's eyes were the steps of Freedom High School, a school that wasn't too far from his previous middle school. It was an odd name for a school to be titled 'Freedom' as that's the last word on a teenagers mind when they are in a school. Finn disliked the working aspects of school, as most teenagers would, but he knew that as long as he had friends to talk with then school would be a good place to socialize.

Yet the only thing running through Finn's mind was his 'experience' that he had last night. Waking up in the Magic Kingdom as a blue hologram. If there was only some way that he could talk to Wayne so he could get some questions answered.

Finn knew he was late for school, but he had to get his mind off of the Magic Kingdom. He walked to a nearby bench that was behind a girl who was as still as a statue. Rubbing his head get his mind off of last night Finn suddenly remembered something. Wayne had given him a card with his contact info when he was in Los Angeles over the summer. Realizing he found an answer to his problem Finn made a note of it on his smartphone. He will look to see if he still had Wayne's number at home. So far that was the only thing he could do to make sense of what happened in the Magic Kingdom. Having something a sense of direction, Finn's mind was now at rest and could focus on the first day of school.

Before he got up, Finn noticed the girl in front of her who was as still standing as she was before, holding a few binders close to her chest. She had long raven black hair and very pale skin. Almost like she had never been out in the sun before. What she wore was almost of a gothic style, being dressed in black all around. She wore a black top with a black flower lace covering, a long skirt black skirt that flowed in the wind, and black slippers. It was hard for Finn to tell if she was wearing a dress or not.

He then asked in curiosity, "Hey are you okay?"

The girl turned her head and looked directly in to Finn's eyes and his to hers. The girl's face was beautiful having emerald green eyes, dark eye liner, and arching eye brows. Yet despite her face and cloths making her look magnificent, Finn feel a cloud of uncertainty looming around her. She had the looks to start school, but not the courage to get in it.

"I know it's the first day and all, but you shouldn't have to worry that much" Finn said.

The girl stayed silent for a while as she pondered Finn's presence. She then said in a simple yet elegant voice, "You have no idea."

Finn replied to her saying, "I can tell you're nervous, but sooner or later you're going to have to go inside."

She took a deep sigh and said, "It's not just my first day of high school. It's my first day of school period."

Hearing that Finn got up and asked, "You mean you've never been to school before?"

"Yeah. I've been home schooled most my life, now I'm out here and…." She looked away from him and reverted back to her silence

Seeing that this girl needed some help Finn ask "Is it alright if I help you?"

She look to him in question, surprised by his kindness.

Finn continued, "You know, just for you to get in and get your schedule. Maybe I can walk you to class if you need the help. But if you think you're okay then I guess that's cool, or…." Shut Up! Finn his thoughts said as he was now becoming nervous in offering this girl help.

Seeing that he was nervous in being kind to her, the girl chuckled making Finn stop silent. "Okay, I accept your act of kindness my noble knight." She bowed her in a formal gestor, making Finn feel he was back in medieval times.

In embarrassment, Finn face palmed himself for feeling like a fool. "I'm not a noble knight, I'm just some guy doing what's right."

"Either way, thanks."

Getting his confidence back together Finn said, "Okay then, just follow me and let's get our schedules."

Finn walked ahead of the girl, yet as she looked at him she asked, "Your name is Finn right?"

He stopped immediately in his tracks and looked to the girl asking "How do you know my name?"

"Because you look like one of those DHI hosts that Disney showed off during the summer and you like exactly like that boy called Finn."

"Oh! Yeah, that's me." Finn laughed as he explain "Glad you mention that. For a moment there you creeped me out; knowing my name from out of the blue."

"Well Finn, will you please help me on my first day" she ask with small smile on her face.

"Well only if you tell me your name first" he replied.

The girl straiten her posture as if she was presenting herself. "My name is Jezebel. But you can call me Jez for short."

The name sounded familiar to Finn. "Wait, isn't Jezebel some queen from the Bible that told people to not believe in God and was shameless in her ruthless actions?"

Jez was surprised by his knowledge to the background of her name. "Yeah. How do you know that?"

"8th grade English Vocabulary quizzes" Finn replied, "I know you got a gothic look and all, but doesn't that name sound a bit too dark for you?"

Jez smiled slightly as she asked "And why do you think that?"

"I don't know. Seeing that you're nervous on your first day of school and all I don't think that name fits with you today."

She approached him and said, "It may not fit with me today but it will tomorrow or later."

Feeling an awkward sensation in her voice Finn quickly said, "Well then, let's get going. We can catch our 3rd class period if we move quickly."

Jez then asked, "What's a class period?"

"I'll explain it on the way, now come on and let's get going."

And like that the 2 teenagers entered the building and began their first day of high school.

* * *

9:15 A.M

It turns out that Finn would be with Jez more than he thought. The 2 shared the same 3rd period class and so they walked to their theatre art class. Finn has always had a thing for theatre arts, it was like a guilty pleasure for him to participate in. As to why Jez was in the class he didn't know. They entered the room just as the bell rung. They took their seats on some theater stands where the other students were sitting. And before they knew it their teacher stepped in.

"Okay everyone, welcome to theater art's class and first things first; attendance." And like that she started calling out everyone's names.

"Oh great" Jez covered her face in embarrassment with her hand.

"What" Finn asked?

"Wait for it" Jez said as the teacher continue to call out names.

"Jessica Lockhart?"

Jezebel signed in distain as she replied, "Here"

Finn now knows what she meant. "Ah. So that's your real name huh?"

"Shut up." Jez replied to his comment.

He gave a small chuckle as 'Jessica', like some girls, use a darker name to hide their embarrassing name. But then his name was called.

"Lawrence Finnegan Whiteman?"

Jezebel turned to Finn recognizing that the 'Finn' gave him away. "Here" he replied.

As the teacher ended her attendance check, she continued her introduction to the class and welcomed them to all to her class. But that didn't stop Jez from commenting on Finn's name.

"Lawrence? Really?"

"Shut up" Finn replied seeing that she found his real name comical.

"Ouch", Jez said giving a small smirk, "That's no way for a knight to talk to a damsel he's helping."

"You're not a damsel you're a witch and I'm not a knight I'm the dude helping you get through your first day at school."

The teacher asked for everyone's attention as the class official began. Apparently she wanted everyone to introduce themselves to the class and it would be at random; meaning Finn wouldn't be last. In fact he was the first to be called up.

"You there with the brown hair in the back corner, you're up for introductions."

Seeing that she was talking to him, Finn got up from his stand and walked down to the front the class.

"Okay then. Well to keep things short with, you guys can call me Finn. I come from the middle school nearby. I'm a freshman. I like theatre arts because I like plays and musicals. And I'm a hologram for Disney's DHI system."

The class was silent. It was funny because Finn thought the last sentence would get them talking about him. But in all honesty his sentence was more real than what he meant.

"You guys don't recognize me as a hologram? You know from D23?"

"Nope" said one kid from the class and everyone else node in agreement.

"Huh, so much for being a celebrity" Finn said in disappointment.

"I'm sure you'll get there Finn if you put the effort into it" said the teacher and so Finn return back to his seat for the next kid to go up.

After a few kids went up, it was now Jezebel's turn.

"Jessica Lockhart."

"Well here goes nothing" Jez whispered to herself as she put down her binders and got up to walk down. As she did Finn could see that everyone, both girls and boys, were staring at her. The boys looked at her most likely because she looked beautiful, which Finn could blame them, and the girls looked at her mostly because of her gothic style which looked good in combination with her makeup.

She was now on stage but she stood silent for a few seconds. She really didn't want her first day of school to begin with her presenting herself, but she knew it would be cowardly to run away. She took a deep breath and look directly at everyone.

"First off, don't call me Jessica. That name never worked with me. Just call me Jezebel." Everyone looked at her in question as it was a name to out of the ordinary for them.

"If that sounds a bit too weird then just call me Jez." At that point some of the guys laughed silently as that sounded a bit like a crude meaning. She rolled her eyes at their immature nature.

She continued saying "Apart from that, this is my first day of public school ever. I've been home schooled most of my life and I'm from Maryland."

Finn was surprise to hear that she was someone out of Florida. But he would ask her about that later as a girl from the stand asked Jez a question. "Where did you get those cloths?"

Jez replied to the girl, "I made them myself."

Everyone whispered in astonishment as her cloths looked like they were top fashion quality. No would every guess that her outfit was made by her.

"I have nothing better to do at home, so I spend my time making my own outfits. I don't get out in the sun that often and I guess you can tell that from my pale skin."

The teacher then said, "If what you say is true Jezebel and those really are cloths that you made by yourself, then I really want you to consider being a part of our fashion and costumes department in theatre arts."

Jez smiled to fact that a teacher praising her. She turn to the class to end her time on stage. "Anyway, that's a bit about myself. The name is Jezebel, I come from Maryland, I make my own cloths, and I'm glad to be free."

The class gave her a small round of applause which was extremely rare for Finn to witness. Jez returned back to sit next to Finn, which every guy in the room now envied. Seeing that she was had a dark style yet a mysterious presence to her, Finn did see himself as being lucky to meet her first. He then thought of something.

"Hey, Jez what lunch period do you have?"

She turned to him and said "What?"

"If you and I have the same lunch period, and I'm lucky enough, I want to meet an old friend of mine."

"Who?"

* * *

12:30 P.M.

"Him" Finn pointed out to Jez an oversize kid at the end of the cafeteria.

Jez look to Finn in question. "The fat kid?"

"Yeah."

"So who is he?"

"Just follow me and you'll find out."

Jez then followed Finn through the cafeteria and to the kid in the far corner. The kid then rose his arm and called out Finn's name.

"Hey Finn, how's it going?"

"Everything is fine with me Dillard" Finn replied, "but I want you to meet someone."

Dillard looked to Jez and asked Finn, "Who is the goth chick? Is she your girlfriend?"

Finn was taken by surprise by Dillard's question, yet before he could even react Jez said "No! And why would you assume something stupid as that!"

The tone in her voice was one of disgust and anger towards Dillard. Dillard could see the malice in her face and realized that he must have hit a cord with her. "Okay. I'm sorry I ask."

Finn tried to calm Jez's attitude. "Chill Jez, he was just joking around.

Realizing she had overreacted, Jez took a deep breath to calm herself. "Sorry about that. I sometimes loss control."

Finn could see that she was now relax. He then look to Jez and said "Well then, this guy right here is my long time childhood friend Dillard." He then turn to Dillard. "And this gothic girl right her is Jezebel."

Dillard glimpsed at the girl dressed in black and turn to Finn. "Jezebel? Isn't that some chick that was thrown out the window and feed to the wolves?"

Finn and Jez were surprised to Dillard's knowledge.

"You remember that quiz?" Finn asked.

"Of course I do, you were in the same class as me."

"Well I guess that vocabulary quizzes actually help with something in life."

Finn nodded in agreement with Dillard. "Is it okay that we sit down?"

"For you Finn yeah, but…" he look to Jez in distrust, "I'm not sure if she'll approve."

The two look to Jez and knowing that had acted rude just a minute ago. She knew that she had to apologize. Normally she wouldn't do this, but since Dillard was Finn's best friend and Finn did help her she would make an exception. "Look, I'm sorry okay."

Dillard crossed his arms crossed his chest; clearly not accepting her apology. She sighed seeing that she would have to do better than that. Her mother had always told her to admit one's mistakes and that the only way to correct those mistakes was to formally mend it. "Okay I'm sorry Dillard to being a bitch to you. I shouldn't have overreacted like that."

Finn turn to Dillard, who was starting to ease up a bit. Jez continued. "I just don't like it when people assume things that aren't true. You were just joking and I shouldn't have assume that you meant it for real."

Dillard look to Jezebel in a lighter tone as she continued her apology. "I shouldn't have judged you like that and I know you must be a good friend to Finn." She leaded her hand in truce to Dillard, hoping he would accept her apology.

He merely stared at her hand for a second until he started to quietly laugh. "Relax, you don't need apologize that deeply. It's not like you called me fat or anything."

Jez found Dillard's response awkward. "So you accept my apology?"

Dillard look to her with a smile and said "Yeah. We're cool."

Instead of shaking her hand of truce, Dillard offered his fist in midair for a fist bump.

She turn to Finn who then said, "It's a thing he does."

She found his way of making truce awkward but she gave her fist bump to Dillard. She then sat down across from the two boys.

"So Finn who is she?"

"Her real name is Jessica, but she prefers to be called Jezebel or Jez."

Dillard look to Jez and said, "I don't know about you, but Jezebel sounds a bit too weird to use around people and Jez just sounds like 'you know what'. Why not be called something street smart like J.Z?"

"J.Z. sounds like a gang name and I'm not that kind of person" Jez replied.

"Well I can tell you right now Jezebel really doesn't fit with you. If I remember my vocabulary I don't think that someone that gives a real apology is someone that should be named after something ruthless."

Jezebel found it annoying to hear the same statement once again. She then laid it out for the 2 boys. "I don't call myself Jezebel because I dress in black and have a dark style. I call myself Jezebel because it's the name my mother gave me. Jessica Lockhart just a fake name so I can have a public identity. You can't be in society if you don't have a last name."

Finn and Dillard could tell that Jez was telling the truth. She wanted to change the subject and asked "So tell me about your friend here Finn."

"Well, like I said this here is Dillard" Finn patted his friend on the back, "and me and him have been friends for about 8 years."

"9 years Finn" Dillard intervened, "You left out our time in Kindergarten."

"So your basically best friends forever" Jezebel said to Dillard.

"I wouldn't say something as girly that, but if there is one guy who I will always be there for it's my friend Finn."

"But you are best friends?"

"Oh hell yeah. Of course." Dillard then look to Finn and asked, "Speaking of which, you didn't manage to tell me how it was in L.A when you were turned into a hologram."

Hearing that they were on the topic of holograms Finn felt reluctant to tell Dillard about waking up in the Magic Kingdom late at night. He would have probably think that he was crazy. But that didn't mean he had to be direct about it.

"Well in L.A it felt like I was in a futuristic hospital, but weeks later I kind of had… weird dreams."

"Dreams like what" Dillard asked.

"What if I told you that I woke up in the Disney parks as a hologram and it felt so real that you couldn't tell if it was a dream or not?"

Jez and Dillard look to Finn in a confused expression. Finn clarified his question, "If you woke up in the Disney parks late at night as a hologram and it was real how would you feel?"

Dillard chuckled at Finn's question. "That would be awesome."

Jez on the other hand only stared at Finn. "You had this weird dream last night didn't you?"

Finn looked at Jez in astonishment. He didn't say that he had these weird dreams last night but how could she tell. Before he could say anything, an all too familiar voice called out from behind him.

"Whitman? Is that you?"

Finn turned around and right before him was Maybeck. "Maybeck? What are you doing here?"

"Um…I here to eat lunch?"

"No I mean, you go to this school?"

"Yes. I live miles away, but this is the only school that they found room for me."

Dillard and Jezebel were also looking at Maybeck, clearly seeing that Finn knew him.

"Hey Finn isn't this one of the DHI that you were with at D23" asked Dillard.

"Yeah, this right here is Maybeck. I'm sure you know he's got some talent when it comes to singing."

"It's pretty cool to see you again Whitman. So who are you chatting with?"

"Well the fat man on my side is Dillard, he's my best friend."

"Hey! That's Mr. Fat Man to you" said Dillard.

"Got you fan man" Finn said as he continued. "And across from me is Jezebel. And before you say anything, just call her that. It's her first day of school and she doesn't know how things are if you know what I mean. So go easy on her."

"Jezebel? Why not something like J.Z. That's better and less awkward."

Jez face palmed herself as she had hit her limit. "God damn it is my name sounding weird the only thing you all can say about me?!"

"Okay, 'Jezebel'" Maybeck put in air quotes, "what's with the gothic style? Finn never told me he was into girls dressed in black."

"I'm not into girls in black and she is not my girlfriend okay!" Finn said.

Before he could say anything, the bell rang ending the lunch period and everyone in the cafeteria rose to get to their next class.

"Well nice seeing your new friends and all Finn. I'll see you at the buses later" Dillard said as he got his backpack and walked off.

"Yeah same here, I'll catch you later Whiteman" said Maybeck as he too walked off. As he saw him walk away, Finn suddenly realized what Wayne said last night to him at the Magic Kingdom. He said that Maybeck and the other would be crossed over into the parks late at night. He had to warn Maybeck, but first he had to deal with Jezebel.

"Hey Jez, you okay now and can survive the rest of the day?"

Jez look to Finn with a smile and replied, "Yeah, I'm good."

"Great, I'll see you in theatre arts tomorrow" Finn was about to dash to Maybeck until Jez said, "Wait."

"What?" Finn turn to her.

She remained silent for a few seconds until she said "Thanks. For helping me."

"Cool. No problem."

He got this backpack and ran out of the cafeteria and to the hallways, where Maybeck was still in sight. "Hey, Maybeck!"

He turn and said "What?"

Finn stop in front of him and said, "I just need to give you a heads up on something. You know Wayne, the old man that was in L.A. Holograms and all."

"Yeah."

"Well he called me and said that there was going to be some weird things happening this week with you, me, and the others when we go to sleep. I don't know what it is, but he told me to tell you and the others not to freak out or anything like that."

"You know Whitman, you have my phone number and the others as well. And besides we're all here at the same school."

"What?" Finn looked in astonishment. "How do you know that?"

"Because Philby and Wills are in my biology class and I saw Charlene work out in the gym during P.E. Damn am I lucky."

"Listen Maybeck, if you have the chance and you see them again today just give them the heads up."

"I got you" Maybeck said as he walked off to class. Finn knew he would have to do the same and so he went to his 6th period English class. When he got there he could see in the far corner Willa, retro glasses and all, reading a book. Maybeck was right about them all being at the same school.

"Hey Willa over here" Finn waved to her, catching her attention. She was surprised to see him yet still remained quite as she didn't know what to say.

Finn sat next to her at the far end of the class room and said, "I didn't know you and the others went to the same school as I."

"Um, yeah I guess so." Willa closed her book as she knew class would begin in a minute. "Philby and Maybeck are here, but I don't know about um… what was her name?"

"Charlene."

"Yeah her."

"Listen Willa, Wayne called me last night and told me to tell you that something weird will happen to use throughout this week."

"Like what?"

"He didn't say. All he told me is that it would be when we go to sleep and not to panic."

Willa couldn't understand what Finn was telling her. But Finn couldn't clarify it anymore. Before he could speak the teacher to English class came in and asked for silence. He would have to let the week flow its course and let the others deal with being a hologram at the park after hours.

* * *

Whitman Residence

3:00 P.M.

Entering his home and dropping his backpack at the foot of the stairs, Finn raced up to his room to see if he still had the card that Wayne gave him earlier. He got to his bedroom and started looking through his desk and drawers. After tossing everything out of its place, Finn eventually found the card. He got his phone out and dialed in the number, hoping Wayne would pick up.

"Come on. Come on. Come on."

Finn passed back and forward to hear a voice until…

"This is Professor Wayne Kresky of Disney Imagineering, how can I help you?"

Hearing that it was indeed Wayne, Finn yelled "Well first you can help by telling me why I was a hologram last night!"

The line was silent until Wayne eventually said, "Finn you really need to calm down."

"Forget that, you told me last night that I was there because of DHI and that it's what I signed up for; well I didn't sign up to be the first person to control a hologram while asleep."

"I am aware of that Finn."

"Okay I want some answers. First off, what is the really reason to why we are holograms? I know it's not to bring characters to life and it has to do with me and the others being in the parks at night."

Wayne answered Finn's question saying, "The reason why you and the others are holograms is because I need you all to find something in the park. Think of it as a treasure hunt mystery."

"You're joking right? You're the head of Imagineering! Don't you have something that allows you to be at the parks overnight? Why do you need us as holograms?"

"Because I'm risking my life just being in Disney after dark?"

Finn couldn't understand what he meant. "What are you talking about? Everything was fine to me."

"I cannot say it for now Finn but I need the 5 of you because I really can't do this on my own or with anyone else. I would get help from older people but you and the others were the only ones in which the DHI technology would work on."

Only more questions lingered over Finn's mind, but Wayne continued. "Listen Finn, on Saturday you and the others will all be crossed over to the Magic Kingdom, but you will all have to sleep at about the same time. I need you and the others to sleep in sync that way I can talk to all of you at the same time. I will then tell you what your mission is and brief you then."

"Mission?"

"All I say to you for now is that you and the others need to solve a mystery. It is like a treasure hunt, but inside the Magic Kingdom. When you and the others cross over on Saturday night, I will then tell you what mystery you're in for and why you needed to be holograms for this."

Finn expected more answers from Wayne, but he realized that given Wayne's stubborn nature from last night it was either his way or no way at all. Finn then said, "Fine, Saturday night. Where will you be?"

"You'll find me on the second floor of the firehouse at Main Street USA. I'll try to be there in person, but I will give you answers I promise you."

That would have to do. "Okay, I'll tell the others later on in the week."

"I'll be getting the same calls and reaction from Philby, Maybeck, Angelo, and Turner; I'll tell them as well. I will explain everything."

Finn exhaled a breath of dissatisfaction. "I'll see you on Saturday then."

He hung up the phone and lied in his bed exhausted. Now he had to wait another 5 days to get some answers to questions that were constantly plaguing his mind. Finn took a deep breath and looked back at what good came out of today. He meet a distant and mysterious girl named Jez, he was with his best friend, and the other DHI hosts were going to the same school with him. Maybe going back to school wasn't so bad after all.

Yet something crossed Finn's mind in his conversation with Wayne. He said that he was risking his life just being in Disney after dark. _What did he meant by that?_

* * *

 **AN: Now I know what you are all thinking; "WTF you add in Jez but not Amanda" or "is this going to be a Finn/Jess shipping series". Hold on everyone just let me explain. Why Amanda isn't in this story is because in this reboot Jez will actually be a character and in for this story Amanda can't reveal herself because of her. What do I mean about Jez being an actual character? I mean that throughout the entire series Jez has been a plot device and a boring character. Her character look isn't special, being strawberry blonde and having different color hair, I mean we already have a blonde with Charlene. She isn't interesting on a romantic sense because she doesn't have a love interest at all. And for the most part she is a foreshadowing plot device that is only used to for see the future to add suspense in the books. I hated Jessica Lockhart's character on every level, except for one aspect in the first book. An aspect that I'm amazed wasn't allowed to show it's potential. That aspect I will talk about later on as the story continues. But Jessica Lockhart is a false persona, here and through this reboot series there is only Jezebel.**

 **As for this being a Finn/Jess shipping, just because Finn first met Jezebel doesn't mean they are going to be a romantic couple. There is a bigger picture as to why I'm trying to let Jezebel be friends with Finn, but again I'll talk about that as the story goes on and more of her character is revealed. And look on the bright side people, in the rough sketch to Project DHI I was going to let Finn be attracted to Jezebel by making her fit his tastes, but I realized that if I make Jezebel the first love interest for Finn, what would I have for Amanda? So for this chapter, I had to make Jezebel a mystery box. She's not fully interesting but not a boring character like she is in the series.**

 **On a small behind the scenes note; yes there really is a high school in Orlando called Freedom. I did my research online to find a good location for the characters to be in and I know that's going a bit TOO real, but the whole Kingdom Keeper series is based on real locations so why not have some that are beyond the park. As for why I chose it, yeah the title of the high school says it all. It kind of fits with the theme of this story and I guess it's obvious to what it is. As the story goes on I will give more light into why I chose this theme for the first story in this reboot series, but all I can say is it's more than what the first book in the Kingdom Keepers series had to offer. And in retrospect the book series never had a real theme or overall theme. It's not about friendship because there are so many young adult novels that have great lessons to teach and have good friendships between the characters. Likable characters and friendship is something to be expected in a young adult novel not commended. It's not about magic or the combination of two worlds. What is the lesson of the Kingdom Keepers?**

 **I know this was a slow chapter and a little boring, but what can I say it's the first time I've written something while in college. But what I said before remains, I will try my best to give you guys the best story I can in the quickest amount of time. Summer vacation is over for 2016 and I wish all of you good luck on going back to school or work.**

 **Next chapter we will be told about the Stonecutter's Quill, but this mystery wasn't laid out by Walt Disney.**


	7. Chapter 7: The Stonecutter's Quill

**AN:** **Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've said anything but right now for me it's pure chaos in the real world. So far this has been one of the most stressful month that I can remember, barely having any free time to come on here and write the Kingdom Keeper story I've been dying to share. For those of you that are still with me on this great adventure all I can say is you guys are the best people an author can have and I'm glad to give you a satisfying story. Like always, a few replies to some reviews.**

 **loveit: I'm happy to see that you like the different take on the Kingdom Keeper series. On the topic of the Artemis/ DHI gadgets if I could talk to Ridley Pearson I would tell him the Kingdom Keepers series would better work as a video game than a movie. Heck if it were then it would be a game that would be viewed in two modes, animation or reality. But it wouldn't be like Kingdom Hearts that has a 3D style to it, instead the style would feel like your playing within a classical 2D animated Disney film; something that I have yet to see in any other game. I'm going to deep into this so thank you for your review loveit.**

 **Princess Maker: Trust me** **here there are ALOT of changes compared to the original but like I said the characters and what made them great to fans of the series remains.** **I've already gone in past chapters what is bound to change so I won't go too detail into that, but what does surprise me after so many years on is how many fans haven't added much to the Kingdom Keepers. The only fan fictions I've read that have done that was by author Vanhoose, and they are Fighting For All that's Good and REBEL. (EVERYONE PLEASE CHECK THESE STORIES OUT!) If there are things that you feel should remain the same or should change don't feel afraid to type in a review.**

 **Life's-For-Living: It's good to see you Life's and I'm surprise to hear from you and others that Chapter 6 wasn't a disaster. I'm delighted to here that you like Jezebel's character because your in for a ride in future chapters. As for Charlene, your absolutely right. I haven't done much for her character through out the story and was hoping to do more for her in the this chapter than what is presented. But I hope the few bits in this chapter will satisfy the Charlene fans out there till the next chapter. And your right Wayne is a douche. Ever since the first book I found it really hard to like this guy because he just throws these kids out to fight a bunch of Disney Villains and not once does he think 'this could endanger their lives'. So him being this mysterious figure that has a blurry moral compass is what I'm going for. And finally on revealing too much info via author notes, I sorry but I can't help myself. I've got SO MANY things to talk about when it comes to the Kingdom Keepers series and what better way to express that passion than a site where fans come to share their fandom stories. Your new Life's to the series so I can understand why you don't want me to reveal much, but I'm glad it's like this because of curiosity. Curiosity to the question of 'how would people have like the series if it was done like this'?**

 **Anyway everyone, after so much time, here is chapter 7 of Project DHI...**

* * *

Chapter 7: The Stonecutter's Quill

August 31, 2019 (Sat.)

Space Mountain, The Magic Kingdom

11:30 P.M.

His eyes open from the cold feeling of hard cement beneath him. Finn looked to his surroundings and behind him was the white peak of Space Mountain. He found his location odd as he believed that he would wake up at Main Street once again. No matter. Finn got up from what appeared to be a wide empty corner that lied near the entrance of Space Mountain. He then looked around to see if any of the others were with him.

All throughout the week Finn had been hearing from the others about their experiences of waking up in the Magic Kingdom in the late hours of night. For the last five days Finn had heard from each of the other DHIs at school, by text, and even online. Like Finn they all contacted Wayne and his response of course was 'he would explain it later'. Well tonight was later and it was now time for explanations.

But first all five of them had to be asleep at the same time and so far Finn couldn't find anyone. Perhaps they were all spread out?

Tapping the bracelet that was on his left hand, Finn pulled up the Artemis system and looked at his map of the park. He notice a small dot in the area of Fantasyland and upon touching it the dot read 'Charlene'. Finn then clicked on the communication tab and choose to talk by radio. He didn't know how exactly he could talk to Charlene being a hologram but he gave it a go.

"Um Charlene, if you can hear me it's Finn" he said, uncertain if his message was even being heard. "If you can hear me, just say something."

Nothing. Finn then texted her a message saying: **Stay where you are. I'll come to you.**

Fantasyland wasn't that far from Space Mountain and Finn knew the Magic Kingdom so much that he didn't need the complex navigation of the Artemis to guide him. He headed north past the Tomorrowland Speedway and towards that Mad Tea Party attraction. He loved driving the little cars at the Speedway as a kid but the spinning tea cups only made him dizzy and sick. He then took a right in a fork in the road and walked away from the Castle and towards Fantasyland where Charlene was. At the far end of the area was the train station that was a part of the Walt Disney Railroad and near the entrance was a blond girl in a black shirt and pants. It was Charlene.

"Hey" Finn called out to her.

She turn to him and waved back from a far. "Hey there. I got your message earlier. I'm glad to see you're here."

"Same to you." Finn then walked over to her where they then took a seat on a bench.

"It's Finn right" Charlene asked.

"Um yeah. You, the others, and I have been texting and calling each other all week; how do you not know my name?"

"I know your name is Finn it's just…" Charlene looked at her blue glowing holographic hand, "I just need to make sure this wasn't a dream."

"Well I can't blame you on that" Finn said as he took a deep breath and laid back, trying to make sense of what Wayne had in store for them.

Charlene look to him and ask "So where are the others?"

Finn looked at his map of the park. "Doesn't look like they are here yet. I guess they're in bed still trying to sleep."

Then a small dot came up at Frontierland and the name above it was Maybeck. Finn could make out he was near Splash Mountain.

"Looks like Maybeck is here, but he's on the other side of the park." Finn then got up from the bench. "I guess I better text him to stay put while we come to him."

While Finn texted Maybeck, Charlene looked behind her towards the train station and lying on the tracks was the locomotive train that carried guests around the park. She had a good idea.

"Hey Finn, is Maybeck near any of the park's train stations?"

"Yeah, he's near Splash Mountain why" Finn asked as he sent his text message to Maybeck.

"Then I'm going to need your help to get this train moving."

Finn look to Charlene as she pointed out the train behind them. He turn to her with a smile saying "I like the way you think."

She gave a small chuckle. "Since the park is all to us, why not have some fun?"

* * *

Town Square, Main Street USA

12:15 A.M (Sun.)

"Okay everyone. Town Square coming up" Charlene called out from the front of the train.

Finn looked behind his seat and saw the other DHIs in their own seats. Maybeck was right behind Finn, Philby was in the center cart, and Willa was on the last seat at the far end of the train. Finn and Charlene got Maybeck at Splash Mountain and around 10 minutes later Philby appeared south nearby in Adventureland waking up near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. About 20 minutes later Willa appeared behind the Cinderella Castle near the park's carrousel and the four of them had to circle back to Fantasyland to get her. Now with all 5 of them in the Magic Kingdom they were all making their way back to where they first met Wayne, Main Street USA.

The old steam train pulled up towards the station and beneath them was Town Square with the Cinderella Castle in the distance. The five teenagers got off the train and made their way down to the square, curious to see if Wayne was nearby. Yet after looking throughout the square they couldn't find him.

"He should be somewhere around here" said Finn.

"I'm looking at the map and there is nothing to show that he is in the park" said Philby.

"I got an idea" Maybeck said before he yelled at the top of his lungs. "HEY OLD MAN! WHERE ARE YOU!"

No response, except for the others who merely looked at Maybeck in an awkward sense.

"Nice" said Charlene.

Maybeck replied "Hey it was worth a shot."

"Do you all think that he forget" Willa asked from behind everyone.

"No" Finn respond. "He said we should sleep on Saturday night and he would meet us here. He also said that he may not be here in person when I called him, but he that he would still try to meet us somehow."

"Well if he's not here in person how is he going to talk to us" Maybeck asked.

All of a sudden a green line ran across the five of them and lead to the fire station on the West side of the square. The red brick station was small, being two stories high and having a small tower on its side. It was so small that it would be hard to believe anyone would stay or work in such a confined space.

All of them were questioning the nature of what awaited them in the fire station, but with no sight of Wayne and having no other option, this was all they had to work with.

"Come on guys, let's go in through the small door" Finn pointed towards a door at the base of the small fire station's tower.

"Don't forget we're holograms" Philby reminded everyone. "So just walk on through."

The five teenagers then walked through the door and looking to their side was a small fire truck. The first floor of the station was a small garage, but there was no sign of Wayne.

"Maybe he's on the second floor" Willa said.

"I saw a stairwell on the side of the station that can get us there" said Charlene. And like that the five of them walked through the walk and were back outside in the moon lite night.

The stairwell was next to the door they had just entered and made their way up the stairs and to the second floor. What they saw was a small room with a bed, a drawer, and a small desk that was in front of the three windows overlooking the Town Square. Upon closer inspection the five of them realized that on the desk was a laptop and a sticky note attached to it.

The note read: **Connect wire to internet. Put Philby on.**

"Um, Philby? It's for you" said Maybeck.

Philby looked at the note and understood what it meant. He found the laptop's internet cord and plug it into an internet socket. He open the laptop and it asked for a password.

"Oh, now that's what he meant" said Philby.

"What?" Finn asked.

"When I called him he told me make a password for something and I guess he wanted this computer to be accessed only by myself."

"So what password did you give him?"

Philby stayed silent as he said "the password I gave him was…'password'"

Everyone then yelled out, "WHAT!?"

"Hey I didn't want it to be too complicated. Besides 'password' as a password is so obvious no one on Earth would think about it."

Maybeck then smirk to Philby's explanation. "Dude, you're the only guy I know who can make something so dumb sound so smart."

Philby then entered 'password' into the textbox and the computer accepted it.

The screen read out 'Securing transmission signal' and it stayed that way for about five minutes. Soon enough Wayne was on the screen of the laptop.

"Wayne" all of the teens said outload.

"Hello there" Wayne nodded to them, "I'm sorry I couldn't make it there tonight."

"Were just glad that you're talking to us in some way" Finn said. "So are you going to start explaining things now?"

"Yes I will. I'm a man of my word." Wayne then got comfortable in his seat before saying "So go on and ask a question."

The five teenagers look to each other, all of them realizing they share the same questions and so they asked.

"Okay, how are we holograms when we go to sleep" Finn asked.

Wayne's replied saying "REM sleep."

Everyone's eyes turned to Philby, expecting him to explain what Wayne meant. "Don't look at me, I'm smart but I'm not that smart."

Finn rolled his eyes and turn to the monitor and asked "What is REM sleep Wayne?"

"To answer that I'll have to explain how sleeping works." A small window opened up on the side of the screen looking similar to a heart monitor with an up and down zig zag pattern on a graph. "Do you guys see the small screen?"

They all nodded their heads and so Wayne continued. "What you are seeing are electro waves in the brain. When you are awake, these waves are highly active because of your brain doing all the movement work through your body."

The wave pattern on the small screen scratched out and was basically following Wayne's explanation. To the kid's dismay it turns out he was going to give the five of them another science presentation.

"Now how you go to sleep works in 5 stages. The first stage is being awake and that's what I just showed you a moment ago. Right here is the second stage, where you are in bed and your body is dosing off and falling asleep. As you can see your brain waves become less frequent. The third stage is when you're continuing to fall asleep and your brain starts to shut down slowly. Then there is the fourth stage were you're in a deep sleep and your brain and your body are completely at rest. Are you following me?"

The five teenagers were stoic to his question. They saw from the small window how sleep works, but it still didn't explain why they were holograms in the Magic Kingdom at night.

Seeing their lack of attention Wayne raised his voice saying, "Now what happens next is where you all come in."

The five of them were now focused on Wayne and he continued. "The final stage of sleep is REM sleep and what happens is very interesting. Instead of going into a deeper sleep, your brain waves suddenly become active as if you were awake yet your body is still. This is when you have dreams and you feel like you are awake! This is when the DHI bots in your body activate and you become a hologram here in the Disney Parks."

"So basically REM sleep is when we have dreams" Charlene said in a monotone voice.

"Yes" Wayne replied.

She threw her hands in the air and said "Well why didn't you just say that before?"

"Because you need to know how your brain works. I told you before that DHI tech works off of your nervous system and your brain is a part of it. That painful surge you felt when you were in the labs wasn't to push the limits of the bots, it was for the bots to latch on every major nerve link in your brain and spinal cord. So when you hit that dream stage of sleep, the DHI bots use the brain activity of REM sleep for you to control a hologram."

Finn was getting tired of this extensive talk. "So basically we are holograms when we are supposed to have dreams; I'm I right?"

"Yes, that's why you can control your holograms in your sleep" Wayne replied.

"Okay then let's just leave it like that."

Philby then asked Wayne, "But DHI stands for Daylight Holographic Imagery. How are we here as holograms if you need daylight for them to work in the park?"

"The moon."

"What?"

"To put it short the moon reflexes sunlight and that light is used to make your DHI function at night."

The kids looked through the windows and in the sky was the moon lighting up the night. Philby felt a little bit shameful not taking that into consideration.

Then Maybeck asked a good question. "So say it's a cloudy night...then what?"

"You won't cross over into the parks and you will have a normal night of sleep."

The five of them were relieved to hear that. If they had to go to sleep every day and wake up in the Magic Kingdom every night it would drive them crazy. But then Finn said "I know we want to know how we are here but can we ask more about why we are here? You said by the phone that we were here because of a treasure hunt, so what are we looking for?"

The five of them look to Wayne, realizing this was the question that they all wanted to be answered. Yet when they turn to him is posture and expression changed dramatically. His eyes were set on all of them giving them the upmost of his attention. Despite being on the other side of a computer his stare made him feel as if he was present inside of the room.

"Listen carefully; I will tell you what you are looking for, but I will only tell you only once and you must promise me never to tell anyone."

The tone within the room transformed into one of uncertainty. Wayne continued saying, "Do I have your word not to tell anyone else? Not your parents or friends or anybody else?"

All five of nodded in agreement; after all who would believe they were experiencing now.

"Okay then" Wayne took a deep breath and began to talk. "Sixty years ago, I use to work with Walt Disney and upon his death he gave me something of great importance to him that he entrusted only to me. What he gave me was his first pen."

Finn couldn't believe this. Was the 'treasure' that they were hunting for a pen? Before he could speak Wayne continued, "You are probably wondering why this pen was so important to Walt. Well this pen is extremely rare and very special. If you look at Walt's first pen today it looks like an old style fountain ink pen, but the metals on that pen date back over 700 years!"

All of them were surprise to hear that, yet they question how a pen that looks modern could exist in the Middle Ages.

"If your confused then that makes six of us. I still don't know how the pen came to be, but none the less I held it for Walt's sake. But then one day it vanished. Someone had stolen it from me and despite my hardest efforts I couldn't find it. I was about to give up until this came in the mail."

Wayne pulled from the side of his desk an envelope and took out the letter within it. "The letter was addressed to me but there is nothing to tell about who sent it. The letter reads and I quote:"

 ** _If you are looking for the Stonecutter's Quill then you must venture back to the old kingdom in order to find it. Look back at things from a different perspective and start from square one. Who I am isn't important but what you must stop is of your creation._**

He turn back to the kids and continued. "I don't know who sent this but whoever did knew about Walt Disney's pen. I did as much as I can to understand what this letter was trying to say. Obviously the Stonecutter's Quill is Walt's pen. The old kingdom I must venture back to is the Magic Kingdom. But the rest I couldn't find much. But I did learn something about the term 'Stonecutter'. It's from an old Chinese folk tale and the story is about a man who wanted to become many things of nature but in the end couldn't be all. The things the stonecutter became throughout the tale was a rich man, a prince, the sun, the clouds, and stone rock. I assume that there are clues laid out throughout the Magic Kingdom and these phrases relate to their location."

He then put away the letter and looked to them. "That is why you are here. To find Walt Disney's first pen by solving this Stonecutter Quill mystery riddle."

Everyone was silence, a feeling very similar to when they were Los Angeles. Before Maybeck could go on a rant mentioning crazed loons and high drugs it was Charlene who broke the silence this time.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm afraid I am Turner" Wayne replied.

Charlene felt a mixture of emotions coursing through her as she couldn't believe the reasoning to Wayne's actions in making them holograms. "You are telling us you went through all this trouble just to find a stupid pen!"

"That stupid pen is from one of my dearest friends."

"Even so why make us holograms then?! Why make something this high tech and go through all this stuff about sleep and the moon when you can just look around at the park during the day?"

"It's not that simple."

"Like hell it is" Maybeck stepped in. "I'm with Charlene on this. Why don't you just look around the park and find the clues to this mystery yourself? You're the head of the Disney Imagineering. You shouldn't have any problem with going into the parks whenever you want."

Wayne sighed as he knew that he was running out of excuses.

"Hey guys" Finn said gathering everyone's attention. "There was something on my mind earlier this week that Wayne said when I called him. Something about risking his life being in Disney after dark. Maybe he can tell us what he meant by that."

All of them were surprise to hear what Finn said, even Wayne himself. But then a voice from the back of the group spoke out.

"Um Wayne can I ask you something?"

Everyone turned to the voice and it was Willa, who was so quite that they nearly forgot about her.

"What is it" Wayne asked.

Willa looked directly at him, the same manor he did earlier, and asked a foreboding question.

"Is there something bad here?"

Everyone's concerns instantly rose in response to Willa's question.

"What makes you say that" Wayne asked.

"Because there are no people here." And like that everyone stood still.

"Yeah Wayne" Philby turned to the computer. "Apart from you I don't remember seeing anyone inside the park."

"He's right" Charlene intervened. "I don't remember seeing anyone. Not a guard, an employee, or a cast member."

Everyone was now looking at Wayne when Maybeck asked, "What are you hiding old man?"

"Wayne" Finn demanded knowing that Wayne was indeed hiding more secrets from them.

The old man knew that he would eventually have to tell them, but what he feared was whether or not the kids would take his answer serious.

"Okay, there is something in the park but you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try us" Finn said, with everyone nodding their heads in agreement.

Wayne took a deep breath and said it as it was. "There is a Disney Villain lose in the park and it is dangerous."

The group stood silent in disbelief as Wayne's answer was so convoluted that they felt it was an insult to their intelligence.

"Old man have you been sniffing bath salts lately" Maybeck asked.

"I'm not under the influence Maybeck" Wayne replied.

"I call bullshit on that" Maybeck responded in anger. "Look I'll buy this hologram mumbo jumbo crap as some great technological achievement and this whole Stonecutter mystery thing, but if you think I'm going to believe something as stupid as that then I don't know if you're a genius or a crazed lunatic."

"I'm not lying to you"

"Oh then please enlighten us old wise man" Charlene said sarcastically.

Taking a deep breath Wayne tried his best to explain. "Okay. Do you all remember back in LA when I told you Disney would use DHI to bring cartoon characters to life?"

They nodded their heads.

"Well we used DHI before I turned you into holograms and it was used it to make a Disney character come to life."

Finn then asked "Which one?"

Wayne's face slowly dropped as he realized that he would have to tell them his grand secret. A secret he was force to hold for over half a century, but now for the first time he was going to reveal it to a couple of strangers he didn't know or trust. And worse of all, they were just kids. But he needed to tell them what they were dealing with. What was also trapped inside of the parks with them.

Wayne lifted his head and looked the kids strait and gave them the name.

"It's Maleficent."

The kids remained quiet to his answer, unsure of what to say. Should they be concern? Should they feel endanger? Surprisingly the first one to speak from the silence was Willa.

"Oh I love her. She's my favorite villain of all…"

"Don't say that Angelo" Wayne quickly interrupted. "This is not a character you should be proud to like."

"So what" Charlene said, "People like villains all the time. Besides isn't she the only Disney Villain to have her own movie?"

"Listen I know that but…"

"Did you see it back then" Willa asked Charlene, interrupting Wayne.

"Yeah. I have to say it's pretty good" Charlene replied.

"Girls please this is..."

Willa cut Wayne off yet again as her inner fangirl was coming out. "Good? I love it! She's so much better than…"

"GIRLS! FOCUS!" Wayne yelled at the girls trying to get their attention, but it also caught the boy's attention as well.

"What is your problem old man?" Maybeck asked, not liking Wayne's sudden rise in voice.

"Yeah they're just talking about a movie" Philby added.

Wayne remained unfazed by their questions. "I'm not joking around here. I understand if you think I'm crazy for everything else, but I'm being serious when it comes to this. This isn't some misunderstood fairy who has a good soul nor is it a cartoon that is single minded character, this thing is dangerous and I'm here to warn you so you won't get hurt while you search for Walt's pen."

Before Willa, Charlene, Maybeck, or Philby could response Finn tried to get a control of the situation.

"Will everyone be quite already!"

Everyone look then turned their heads to Finn, surprised by his sudden outburst.

"We came here for some answers and clearly Wayne isn't the kind that gives us all the answers, so let's not waste our time here. Are you all following me?"

The 4 teens and Wayne merely stood still, but there was no doubt that they were giving their attention to Finn.

"Okay. So let's just flow with this alright. Let's assume that there really is some Stonecutter Quill mystery. Let's assume there is a Disney Villain in the park. I mean what's the problem with needing answers, it's not like we're going to be explaining anything to anyone; right?"

The kids look to each other realizing Finn had a good point. Why did they need all the answers? They were in a crazy scenario with even crazier explanations. Seeing that he was gathering the others to follow, Finn turn to Wayne and sat down facing the computer.

Finn was now talking directly to Wayne as if they were making some sort of deal. "So let's keep it short and simple okay."

Wayne liked the way this kid was thinking. "Agreed."

"So this Disney Villain that is in the park is Maleficent right" Finn asked.

"Yes" Wayne replied.

"The fairy from Sleeping Beauty?"

"Yes."

"And she is here because of the hologram technology" Philby asked.

"Yes"

"Is she a hologram controlled by artificial intelligence?"

Wayne remained silent for a bit pondering what to say next. "I would say it is. But even so it's a hologram that is advance enough to the point where it can physically touch objects, so it's dangerous"

"Is she bad or good" Willa asked.

"It's the real deal and to call it bad is a great understatement."

Maybeck then ask "How bad?"

"Bad enough that I'm allowing any crazed madman to come into the Magic Kingdom overnight and do something bad like planting a bomb or stashing a gun. But then again Maleficent would kill them out of boredom and amusement."

"And what do we do if we just happen to come across her" Charlene asked.

Wayne was again silent for a few seconds. He was hoping that would never come to pass, but he needed to warn them for their safety. "You do exactly as it says."

"Wayne why do you keep calling Maleficent an 'it'' Willa questioned, seeing it was odd that the old man never referred Maleficent as a 'she' or 'her'.

The old man look to Willa and his response was "If you want me to say 'she' or 'her' then fine, but I'm going to call her whatever I want because to say that Maleficent is a 'she' or 'her' means giving her humanity and trust me when I tell you there isn't an ounce of that within her character."

Willa as well as the others found Wayne's response very odd and hateful. Whatever this character was it was clearly something Wayne hated from the depths of his soul. Wanting to put a lid on everything, Finn asked what would hopefully be the last question.

"Assuming we don't have to deal with 'it'", Finn quoted with his fingers, "and we do this mystery, what happens once we find Walt Disney's pen?"

"I will shut down the DHI server, give you the antibodies to destroy the nano-bots on your nerves, and let you return back to your normal lives."

They felt a little comfort to that sentence, but the old man continued.

"And when that day comes I will tell Disney to give you the $50,000 dollars that you were promised for being a part of this."

The kids gave their attention now to Wayne, as what he just said was probably the sanest thing he has said to them yet. They didn't believe in Wayne's words of a Disney Villain being in the park, but what they did believe was their $50,000 dollar reward. That was something that was reassured to be real.

"Okay then. That's that" Finn said to everyone.

"If you all need to tell me of something urgent you tell me by phone at your home" Wayne said. "And don't forget to use the Artemis's scanner to find the clues. I sent people over many times during the day and found nothing, so the clues must be invisible somehow. If anything comes about I'm sure you will find your way around it."

"So we are done" Maybeck asked.

"Yes we are" Wayne replied. "Find the clues to the pen, find them ask quickly as you possible can, and do your best to avoid a confrontation with Maleficent."

"Alright, well I guess we will be returning back to our bodies then" Finn was about to turn the computer off until Wayne said "Stop!"

Finn froze to ask "What?"

Wayne took a sigh as he rubbed his head. He knew the magnitude of his actions but deep down Wayne's humanity needed to reassure itself by taking into consideration the five teenagers he was now responsible for. "Be careful out there and do try to avoid trouble."

"We know Wayne."

"Just stay away from Maleficent and find that pen ask quickly as you can."

Finn nodded as he agreed to Wayne's warning, but the old man had one last thing to say.

"And Angelo."

Willa turn to Wayne on the computer.

"Don't ever tell Maleficent you like that movie. She'll find it extremely offensive and she will hurt you, regardless if you're a fan of her. Do you understand?"

Willa felt somewhat scared of Wayne's tone to his question, but she might as well just tell him what he wanted to hear. "Okay. I won't say a word to her."

"Good. Now you all can go home." And like that the computer screen turned black and Wayne was offline, leaving five teenagers in a small room atop the fire station.

For a minute there was nothing but silence as the kids tried to wrap their minds around what was going on. Walt Disney's pen? The Stonecutter's Quill mystery? A rampant Disney Villain hologram? What they signed up for was something beyond their comprehension and how this would go about was unknown to them.

Eventually Finn broke the silence and turned to the others. "So what do you guys think of the old guy?"

They all looked to Finn with the same expression and with the same answer.

"He's crazy" said Willa.

"He's absurd" said Philby.

"He's a lunatic" said Charlene.

"He's a loon so loony that he's making the loony tunes look sane" said Maybeck.

"Well then I guess that's something we all agree upon then" said Finn nodding his head to their logical responses.

"Do you guys really think this mystery is real" Willa asked the others for their opinion.

"Well he clearly didn't go through all this trouble just to toy around with a bunch of kids like us" said Charlene.

"I don't know" said Philby. "Everything he said to us just doesn't feel right. If he's hiding something, then I want to know why."

"Forget it Philby" said Maybeck. "Whatever Wayne is hiding from us he's going to keep it that way."

Willa then asked a good question. "Hey did you guys noticed that he was acting odd when we brought up Maleficent?"

"He was" said Charlene. "I don't know what is going on here but….."

"Guys, guy" Finn said trying to get their attention. "Look I know this is all crazy, but let's just flow with this alright and do what Wayne says."

"What are you talking about Finn" said Charlene.

"Yeah, after all of that you think we should just brush everything under the rug" said Maybeck.

Finn response to the two of them was, "What I'm saying is what's the big problem in doing this anyway?"

They remained silent as Finn continued.

"Listen. I don't know what going on and I know were never going to get answers but so what? Were getting $50,000 out of this so what do we have to loss? Now I'm not saying we should just take everything Wayne says but come on guys seriously are we really in any trouble for doing anything that he wants us to do?"

The four teenagers were following Finn as his questions were making things more clear.

"This is crazy guys, that's all I can say." Finn then rested on the bed in the room and came to the conclusion that they were going to have to this crazy mystery.

Then Philby started to speak, "You know Finn, I'm with you on that. This is crazy."

"And like my Aunt always says; crazy is as crazy does" said Maybeck.

"So I guess while we are here we might as well do crazy things" said Charlene.

Finn looked to them surprise in their sudden rise to the occasion. "So what do you guys want to do?"

"Crazy things" said Willa having a small smile on her face.

"Does a mystery count for you guys" Finn asked and their response was a nodding of heads in agreement.

Seeing that they were all in this together Finn got up from the small bed and said "Okay then. That's that. So let's call it a night everyone."

Finn tapped on the Artemis to help him find the Return flob. Surprisingly a red arrow appeared in the room at the desk were the laptop was. He opened the drawers and in one of them was the black flob with the red button.

"Seriously" said Maybeck. "We could have just open a drawer and not listen to all that bull?"

"So are you guys ready" Finn asked.

"Yes" the all said in unison.

"Alright then, I guess I'll see you guys next time we cross over; and who knows while we're here we can have a bit of fun" Finn winked to Charlene for the wise advice earlier. She rolled her eyes to his expression. He clicked the Return and all five of them disappeared out of the park, leaving only the flob behind.

But beyond the windows of the fire station, the lights of Town Square were flickering as if they were losing power. Then the sounds of heavy footsteps rocked the staircase outside of the station and the lights in the room shined intensely. The lights grew so brightly that their bulbs exploded to the force outside, leaving the room completely dark.

The door opened as a tall figure entered the room and walked to where the teenagers once were. The flob bounce to the rhythm of her footsteps while the wood within the floor creaked to the stress it was undergoing. She picked up the Return and pondered what her next step would be.

She had been behind the station the whole time listening to Wayne's conversation with the teenagers. What she discovered was that there was finally a lead to where Walter's pen was located and that the teenagers were clearly forced into Wayne's plan. Yet the one that that did aggravated her the most while listening was that Wayne kept referring her to 'it' or 'that thing'.

Was this all the respect Wayne could give her after saving his life after for so many decades.

She was at war with Wayne and clearly in this battle his soldiers were children. How unfortunate. Yet maybe she could use these teenagers to her advantage. Could they be of use for her or would they be another obstacle to eliminate? She then knew what to do next.

If Wayne won't tell the DHIs the truth then she will tell them herself.

* * *

 **AN:** **And that concludes Chapter 7. Now this chapter was a bit tricky as it dawned upon me that the one thing not embraced about the DHI technology was how it worked after dark. Surprisingly the book series doesn't dwell deep into the workings of the holograms or how the Keepers could become holograms outside the park. So here's a few aspects I like to touch upon regarding the making of this chapter.**

 **REM Sleep: Now this is without a doubt the only thing that the series had going for it when it came to sleeping and holograms. In Kingdom Keepers II: Disney at Dawn Wayne goes into great detail about how they become holograms when in REM sleep and that was something I wanted to keep in this reboot. Yeah I know it was a bit boring with more science talk but it really isn't all that different compared to the original book.**

 **The Moon: This right here was not an element to the DHIs in the books. Where would their source of light be if there is no sun? Answer: the moon. Letting the moon be a power source to the holograms was a necessity in the books that never occurred, not only to the mythos building of the series but also a reason to why the Keepers don't cross over all the time to the Disney Parks every time they go to sleep. I mean do they? If so I kind of feel bad for them. But keep this in mind everyone there is more to why the DHI's work so well in the moonlight.**

 **The Stonecutter's Quill and the reasoning to the Keepers situation: In the first book Wayne simply tells the kids that Disney Villains are on the loss and to find the Stonecutter's Quill that is Walt's pen. Now there are reasons to why I revealed a lot on the Stonecutter's Quill in this story. Firstly, why would Walt Disney hide something as important as his magical pen from his own trusted employees? Secondly, why would the pen be hidden inside of the Disney Parks at One Man's Dream? If anything these 2 aspects make it easier for the Disney Villains to get the pen. Yet above all else, why do we have a sequel series (The Return) that revolves all around this damn pen? As for the Wayne's topic of the threat, as I said before here there are no Overtakers only Maleficent and it was better if he just told them before they meet her. I mean what the heck there already is a live action version of her, so the DHI's seeing her in real life isn't going to be shocking.**

 **Behind the Scenes Notes**

 **Maleficent was originally going to be an AI: In this chapter Wayne gave a muddle answer to Philby's question if Maleficent was a hologram run by artificial intelligence and that is something that was what I was going to do for this reboot series way back then. When I was just getting into the series what I originally thought of the Kingdom Keepers combining holograms with Disney characters I was going for something that was along the lines of Disney meets The Matrix. My first concept for a reboot of the series was that the kids would be holograms at Disney, but that there was a digital cyberspace within the parks that allowed Disney characters run by AI to exist and that Maleficent being the main antagonist would be a rouge AI wanting to take over the world because to the foundations of her character and wanting to escape Disney. This idea was thrown out years ago because of two aspect. Firstly, while it stayed strong with the science fiction elements of the Kingdom Keepers, it didn't have any room for magic and magic is the key ingredient for any Disney story. Secondly, after reading many Kingdom Keeper and Sleeping Beauty fan fictions (of the original Maleficent) I decide to let Maleficent be a flesh and blood fairy. This would allow her to be a more living character and to give her some backstory and emotions. I'm sharing this because it shows how the direction of a story can change given time. I would have done this back in 2013, but now it's something that just wouldn't work.**

 **Well that wraps it up people for this chapter. Don't forget to favorite, follow, and review Project DHI if you like it. If you know anyone that's a Kingdom Keepers fan tell them to check this story out, not many new KK fan fictions being made these days. I hope to hear from you guys and now I must sadly go back to the hardships of the real world. Tune in next chapter and we just might see first contact between the 5 DHIs and Maleficent, but not before something that is important to the Kingdom Keepers series. Friendship.**


	8. Chapter 8: Friends

**AN: Hello everyone, Proto back after what I will define as the most stressful two months of my entire life (and I'm not making a hyperbole here). I'm sure you guys thought that I probably abandoned this story; no. I've just been enduring 2 months of pure hell that's all. Now talking at the end of the year, I've finally got my writing mojo back on track and it does feel weird to write something that isn't a government research paper. But finally after so months of silence the story can finally continue. Yet before I do, as usual, replies to reviews from previous chapter.**

 **The Princess Maker: I'm glad you like the direction this reboot story is taking with Jez. There was a lot of potential in her character throughout the entire book series, but all of it is ignored and all we get from her is a foreshadowing plot device. I've seen some Kingdom Keepers fans try to give more to her character but for the most part it's just basic stuff like a love interests or a sister bond with Amanda. There is so much within her character but I will talk about it more as the story goes on. As for Dillard, I'm surprised you say that you felt sad for his death because I felt nothing. Why? Well read this chapter and I'll explain at the end.**

 **Life's-For-Living: Great to see your enjoying the 5 protagonists, but it's the antagonist I want talk about. You say why she isn't in the story yet but this basically how the first book of the series was. In Disney After Dark, it isn't until after page 100 that Maleficent actually comes into the story. That is why I made an introduction of her being 'born' in 1959, to give context to how long she's been around. There will be a lot to say about her, but this chapter is on the DHIs.**

 **With that out of the way, here is chapter 8 of Project DHI and here we explore one of the central themes of the Kingdom Keepers that is universal across all fan fictions to the series.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Friends

September 1, 2019 (Sun.)

Whitman Residence

10:30 P.M.

After talking to the others by the internet, Finn had turned off his computer and got himself ready for bed. After their last night meeting with Wayne the five of them had come to accept the crazy situation they were in. They may be doing some crazy things but it won't be dangerous or wrong. Despite Wayne's plea of trying to make them understand that a Disney Villain of all things is alive, Finn and the others merely shrugged to the old man's word. They took note of it but that didn't mean that it had to be taken seriously.

Getting in bed after doing his usual bedtime routine, Finn got is toughs together to remember what he and the others had planned. Once in the Magic Kingdom the five of them would meet up with one another and start to solve Wayne's Stonecutter's mystery. Philby being the genius that he was looked up the Stonecutter tale online and it fit with Wayne's presumptions. A rich man, a prince, the sun, a cloud, and a rock. What did they have in common with Disney World? To Philby he believes that they are associated with rides and locations within the park.

The rich man would be the statue of Walt Disney in center of the Magic Kingdom and the prince would most likely be in the Cinderella Castle where a prince would live in. The sun, cloud, and rock aspects to the tale were yet to be determined, but for now the five of them had a starting point.

Finn turned off the light near his bed, set his alarm clock for school tomorrow, and slowly went to sleep expect to wake up in the Magic Kingdom.

* * *

He did not.

The alarm clock near his bed went off making Finn jump. He was surprise to see he was still in his room and not the Magic Kingdom. He took his smartphone out to check the date and it was Monday. He didn't cross over.

Then he remembered something from their chat with Wayne. Finn got up and went to his window and outside he saw that weather was cloudy. The clouds must have blocked the moon light and prevented him from crossing over.

"Well this is just great" Finn said to himself in disappointment.

* * *

September 2, 2019 (Mon.)

Freedom High School

12:30 P.M

With the first week of school now over, the real work began. The thing that sucks about going back to school is mentally getting use to homework all over again after three months of doing nothing. Yet that didn't stop Finn from enjoy his time at school. Like all kids who go to school the one thing that made school worth going to were friends and last week Finn had many to be with both new and old.

With his PE class now over, Finn made his way to the cafeteria where it seems that the table he and Dillard sat at last weeks was now officially theirs. Yet not all who owned the table was present.

"Where's Jez" Finn asked Dillard.

"You know where she is" he replied, "Outside as usual."

Jezebel sat with them for the first two days of school, but then afterward started to eat outside from everyone. She stated it was because she felt real uncomfortable for her to eat while around people. Finn and Dillard let her be as she was new and needed time to adjust. Still it didn't stop them from caring about her.

"I think you should check on her" Finn said to Dillard.

"Why me?"

"Because I just got out of PE, I've burned a lot of calories, and I'm starving to death."

Dillard knew he couldn't argue with that. "Okay. I'll see you outside then."

The two boys made their ways, with Finn going to the cafeteria line and Dillard going outside. The outdoor eating area was small and shaded where a few kids went out to eat for reasons similar to Jezebel's. All not feeling at ease with people or simply enjoying the tranquility of silence.

He spotted her easily by her dark raven hair and was writing in a black journal of some kind. He then walk to her and ask, "Is it okay if I sit here for just today."

Jez look to him in question, "May I ask why you've come outside?"

"Well, I just want to see if things are alright. You know because you're new here in Florida."

She stood quiet for a second before replying, "Your companionship is appreciate."

Dillard found her language to be a bit too formal for him but none the less he sat down with her.

She continued to write in her journal for a minute until she turned to Dillard.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Yeah sure."

"How long have you and Finn been friends?"

He was surprised by her unusual question. "Why?"

"Curiosity" she said.

Dillard had no problem with giving Jez an answer. "Well to answer your question me I'll have to give you a brief history on me first."

Jez merely stared silently waiting for him to begin.

Dillard found her behavior odd but pushed the feeling aside as he tried to find a good place to start his story. "Well it all started when I was 4 years old and I moved in from Texas. My family decided to live in Orlando, the best city in the state, and lucky for me my neighbor was Finn. The neighborhood we lived in was new and our families were the first buyers. From there it's all good memories."

"Such as" Jez asked while remaining in her still posture.

Dillard then pondered his mind looking back through the years he had been with Finn. "The day me and him first meet up was on the Fourth of July when my family invited his family over for a BBQ picnic. There is no better way to know someone than to eat some good food with them. Then when we met we decide to play our first game and it was a lightsaber duel. We both loved Star Wars and so I pulled a few sabers from my closet and we duke it out in my backyard. With the clash of our lightsabers amongst the explosions in the night sky it felt like we were in some battle of heroes shit and it was awesome."

He expected to see Jez with a smile on her face but she remained stoic. This was a bit abnormal as he assumed that a childhood story like that could make anyone smile. But then he continued.

"But afterward we ditched being Jedi and became cowboys; pulling out nerf guns and shooting up the house. Then after that we became ninjas, sleeping late at night and challenging each other to go into bedrooms and do tasks without waking anyone."

He look to Jez and asked, "And do you know what we became afterwards?"

Jez shook her head, curious as to what he would say.

"Space pirate ninja cowboys with lightsabers and a banjo" Dillard said with glee.

A moment of silence followed as Jez stood still, trying to comprehend what Dillard just said. Eventually her stoic expression gave way to a smile that became a chuckle then laughter. She wasn't going to deny that his absurd answer was comedic, regardless if it's logically dumb or crazy.

"I guess there's a funny bone in you under all that black" Dillard said in pride to his triumph of making her laugh. "But that's enough about me, how about you?"

Jez's laughter suddenly stopped to Dillard's question. "What?"

"Tell me more about yourself. I just told you about me and Finn so now it's your turn."

She froze solid, not having a clue of what to say. "Well what do you want to know?"

"Well Finn said you were out-of-state" Dillard said. "So, which state?"

Jezebel's body tensed with unease as she pondered on how to respond to a question that she really didn't want to answer. Yet because Dillard shared a bit of himself, it was only fair that she would repay the favor. "Maryland. On the outskirts of Baltimore near Washington D.C."

"So why did you move here?"

"My mother" Jez replied. "She hated her job in D.C. and so we moved here. But not all of us could come here."

"What do you mean" Dillard asked.

"I mean I had many sisters and my mom could only afford to care for one of us."

Knowing he hit a personal nerve Dillard felt guilty in asking his question. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"No apology is needed." She turned away and continued saying, "I thinks it's better if we drop this conversation."

"Alright then." And like that Dillard decide to shut his mouth. Only know was he starting to realize how stupid he was in asking her about her old home and her family. The grim memories of sadness started to leak into his conscious as he remembered how hard it was for him when he too had to move. Eventually he couldn't contain his guilt any longer.

"I'm sorry for asking too much."

"I forgive you" she replied in a calm voice, "But you ask too many questions."

"I guess your right on that." Dillard merely looked ahead of himself looking in to the blue sky; that way he could give her some space and not confront him. "I can understand where you're coming from."

Jez continued to not face him, but was curious as to what he had to say.

"I'm sorry about your sisters but I can understand how you must feel moving here."

Dillard shrugged back as he continued. "Leaving Texas was the hardest part for me to deal with as a small kid. I was friends with mostly my cousins and we had our fun times on my grandma's playground in a small town. With all of that gone, I had a hard time trying to get use to everything. Lucky for me I found a way to adapt."

She turned to him and replied "May I ask what it was?"

"Yeah" Dillard replied, "I made friends."

She found herself disappointed in what he had to say, being the most obvious statement that anyone can tell.

But then he looked to her and said out of the blue, "You should get to know him."

This caught her by surprise. "Excuse me?"

"If you're missing Maryland then do what I did and try getting to know Finn. He's a good guy despite his low times."

Finding his request absurd, she replied "And why would I do that?"

"Because he helped you last week and he's the only guy that's been the closest thing to a friend to you as far as I can tell."

He had a valid argument there.

"Alright then" Jez said with a smirk, "I guess because you two have been nice to me I will try to understand you better."

Dillard then gave her a thumbs up saying, "And now I just gave you a new friend. You'll thank me later."

"The feeling is mutual at the moment" Jez replied just as Finn came through the doors nearby and sat along the pavement with them.

"Finally" Finn said in glee. "I thought I would never get out of there." And like that he started eating away like a starving man.

While Finn was enjoying himself Jezebel was thinking of some way to start socializing with Finn upon Dillard's request. To her dismay she could see that Dillard was looking at her and raising his eyebrows for her to say something. Her silent response was merely a look of annoyance. She really didn't want to do this as she had never felt comfortable socializing, but Dillard's point earlier showed that she needed to repay Finn's kindness in some way.

"Finn can I ask you something?"

Finishing the last of his meal Finn said, "Shoot."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes mustering up the courage to ask one question.

"Do you consider me a friend?"

Finn was taken by surprise to such a serious question. "Did I miss something while I was away?"

"Just answer the question" Jezebel said in rapid succession. "Do you consider me a friend?"

Finn leaned back and asked her, "Well do you want to be my friend?"

She opened her eyes realizing it was pointless to hold on to her pride. She look to Dillard who node to her in doing a good job in her efforts. And from that she answered Finn's question.

"Yes."

"Then your my friend" Finn said. The moment he said that the lunch period bell rang out and everyone got up to get to their next class.

Before the boys could get their get up Jezebel quickly closed the journal she had in her lap and walked away at a rapid pace. Finn realized that something was going on. And so he turned to the only lead he had.

"Okay fat man what did you tell her?"

"Sorry Finn" Dillard said with a smirk, "These lips are sealed."

He expect no less from him. "Dude why did she ask my about being her friend?"

"Because she needs them" Dillard said in a tone that was heavier. "You know from me how hard it is when you move across states. And that is why I pointed her to you."

Finn felt a bit at ease in knowing that. "Okay then. I'm just glad you're not trying to make her my girlfriend."

"But if she does will you thank me?"

Seeing that he had to get to class Finn left Dillard hanging saying, "You'll get your answer in a couple of years or never."

As Finn walk to doors Dillard shouted, "Your welcome!"

* * *

Whitman Residence

8:00 P.M.

"And here at the local Orlando station, we predict that the sudden cloud formation that occurred last night will clear later this evening…"

"Well thank you Local News" Finn said sarcastically as he was watching television. Now he was certain that he and the others will cross over into the Magic Kingdom.

"Hey Finn" Ray shouted from upstairs, "When's mom coming home?"

He turned and replied loudly, "She's working late tonight. She said she'll be back by around ten and will pick us up some food if anything is open."

"Okay" Ray said as she went back to her room.

As Finn was about to go upstairs he had forgotten about turning off the television.

"That was your local weather news, when we come back we will talk about a woman who was assaulted today for being who she was; coming up after these commercials."

 _No thank you._

Finn turn off the TV and figured he wasn't going to sleep until 11 o' clock. So what was he going to do for two to three hours?

Naturally he walk upstairs to go play on his gaming console as he always had to pass the time but when he got there he tough of something else to do with his time. When Wayne acted strange when he talked about the Disney Villain Maleficent it did bother everyone as to why. Finn couldn't put his finger on it but he felt like he needed to see an old Disney film to refresh his memory of this villain. He could just pop in a Blu-Ray disc but for tonight Finn felt a little old school.

Coming back downstairs, Finn went into his mother's bedroom, past her large bathing room, and into his parent's closet. On one corner was his mother's side and on the other was all the memorabilia of his father that mostly stayed untouched. Yet what caught Finn's eyes was a large plastic bin at the bottom that he often came and went from time to time.

He pull the bin towards and removed the cover. In it was a treasure trove of VHS Disney movies. When his mother got pregnant, his father looked for things to welcome Finn's arrival. Luckily he got all the Disney classic movies on VHS at a garage sell for a good price just as the VHS tape was going extinct. Seeing Disney animated films with his family was one of the few great memories he had of his father and every once in a while Finn could come down, take the VHS player, hook it up to his TV upstairs, and put in an old Disney animated film. For tonight it was Sleeping Beauty.

Finn took out the Sleeping Beauty tape as well as the VCR player and make his way out of the closet, through his mother's bedroom, up to the second floor, and to his game room. He plugged in the player, got the blue screen when he turned it on, put in the VHS tape and clicked rewind.

It felt extremely weird playing a VHS tape in 2019. It amazed Finn how in 20 years home entertainment went from VHS to DVD to Blu-Ray to instant access in such a short period of time. What was next after that?

As the tape was still in the process of rewinding, Finn went downstairs and got himself a soda and made some popcorn. If he's watching a movie he needs to have something to keep him busy. By the time he got he returned upstairs the film was ready. He click the play button on the player and sat down to feel the nostalgia.

As the old 1990's commercials play out Finn mind flashed back to the Disney films he saw as a kid. He always loved great classics like Aladdin and the Little Mermaid, but he also enjoyed under the radar films like Oliver and Company, the Great Mouse Detective, The Rescuers Down Under, the Fox and the Hound, and even the Black Cauldron. Many of which no casual Disney fan would know.

As for Sleeping Beauty, Finn was somewhat in the middle. He found the film mostly boring in the middle of its and despite its title the film wasn't really about Sleeping Beauty. But what he did like about it was its villain and that was why he was watching it tonight.

Eventually the classic voice spoke the iconic 1990's line and the movie began.

"And now for our feature presentation."

* * *

9:45 P.M.

The screen returned blue as the tape ended. Seeing Sleeping Beauty after such a long time was an awkward sense like revisiting a memory that was forgotten. He watch the film for the villain of Maleficent and he could only make out two things. First, she's an evil fairy. Secondly, he couldn't make out why Wayne would make this character the first DHI Disney character in the parks. Normally a big business like Disney would choose Mickey Mouse or Cinderella. It didn't make sense for them to let a villain be the first hologram Disney character for Project DHI. Yeah Disney's tried to make Maleficent a heroic character recently but Disney fans aren't that dumb. Are they?

Finn eject the tape and unplugged the VHS player. He then heard the door open downstairs and his mother whistle to them. "Finn. Ray. I'm back."

And like that Finn dashed downstairs along with his sister to the dining table. His mom put down her bag and sat down to eat with her kids.

Finn asked her what was up with work and she said she got called for a meeting. Apparently her department was doing something big and it was mandatory for her to attend. All she told them was that it was about a military project, but seeing that it was Lockheed Martin that was no surprise to hear. Finn's night time 'job' for Disney after dark was friendlier on the spectrum of business.

After they were done, his mother told them to get to bed as she walk to her bedroom to take a shower after a long day. Finn and Ray did the same. Before he could call it a night, Finn forgot to put up the VHS tape and player.

He went to put up what he got from downstairs, but as he enter his mother's bedroom he bumped into her as she was getting in bed.

Without looking at Finn directly she asked "What's that you have there?"

"Just an old tape and player. I'm putting them back with dad's stuff" Finn replied.

She look to Finn on the notion of mentioning John. Seeing the Disney VHS tape and VCR player in his hands, she was glad to see that Finn still remembered.

"Why didn't you just watch the movie on Blu-ray" she asked.

"I don't know. I just felt like seeing a Disney film the old fashion way." Finn then walked past his mother through her bathroom and to the closet where he put back the tape and player.

As he sealed up the bin and put it back in place his mother came in. "Do they still hold up?"

Finn was caught by surprise by her question. "What?"

"Do they still hold up" she repeated her question. "The Disney movies I mean."

He understood now. "Yeah. They may be for kids but there is nothing bad about a grown up having a viewing once in a while."

"You know your father was nervous when he realized he was going to have you" his mother said. "Despite being the brave soldier he was the one thing he was afraid of was failing to be a good father."

She chuckled to the thought as his fear was natural to all those would-be fathers. "I was surprised the day he bought this whole cardboard box full of Disney VHS tapes. I told him it was odd to play such old things and he told me that the way to see movies can change but the movie itself does not."

His mother came down next to Finn and put her hand on the bin. "This right here is the greatest thing your father could have ever bought for you Finn. Believe me on that."

"Trust me I believe you" Finn said.

His mother then pickup up from the shelfs above a triangular glass container with a flag in it; the memorabilia for all those who have served and fallen for their country. At the bottom Finn could see his father's name inscribed on a golden tab.

 _Johnathan Whitman_

His mother pull Finn close to her and said, "He would be proud to see you and Ray as happy as you are."

Finn smiled and said, "I know he would."

His mother gave him a kiss on the check and said, "Okay, get to bed; you have school tomorrow."

"Okay" Finn got up and was about to leave just before he turned to something else that was in his closet. Apparently memories and Disney films weren't the only things that his father left behind.

"So when are you going to let me into dad's armory?"

On the other side was an enormous safe that dominated the closet wall. Seeing that his father did serve in the military it was only fitting that he was also a fanatic to firearms. The safe was so large that it could fit his whole family in it and there would still be enough room.

His mother turned around to see it and look to Finn giving him the same reply over the years.

"Not till you are old enough Finn."

 _Well it was worth a shot_ , Finn thought to himself.

"Okay then. Well goodnight mom."

"Same to you."

* * *

September 3, 2019 (Tue.)

Main Street USA, The Magic Kingdom

12:30 A.M

Back in Town Square once more, Finn took a look at his map to see where the others were. He had texted them earlier at school that they would still try and find the clues to the Stonecutter's Quill at the Walt and Mickey statue as well as the Cinderella Castle. They weren't sure what they would find or even if these clues even existed, but Wayne did give them a scanner so he clearly knows that there must be something.

The only person apparently in the Magic Kingdom was Philby and his location was near the statue in front of the castle. So that's were Finn decide to go.

When he got to the statue he could see Philby shooting a ray of blue light going up and down his wrist. He was clearly searching for the clue.

"Hey Philby" Finn waived, "I'm here."

Philby turned to him, "Good, because you have to see this."

 _Holy shit did he actually find something?_ Finn thought to himself as he walk to Philby at the front of the bronze statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.

"Look at this." Philby scrolled through his Artemis and click on the scanner. A ray of blue light shoot out like Finn had previously seen and aim the light around the base of the statue. Finn was surprise at what he was seeing.

Along the base of the statue were scribbled lines that didn't form a letter or number. When Philby's scanner turned off the lines on the statue vanished. Whatever the lines were it couldn't be seen with the naked eye. Finn had seen something similar to that in invisible ink but this must have been something strong if hadn't smeared off the statue for who knows how long.

But that was beside the point. The really revelation from this was that they found something.

"Well I'll be damn. There really is a mystery here" Finn said.

"We found something, but we can't really make out anything from it" Philby said as he pulled up his Artemis. "I took a picture of what I scanned, but the Artemis system can't decrypt the message."

"Are you saying that there is something else we need to find?"

"Well there are other clues and maybe when all of them come together they make a message, don't you think?"

"I guess so."

Seeing that they really were unravelling a mystery at Disney, Philby's mind surrendered all doubts and was now focus on what to do next. This wasn't a joke anymore.

"Listen, if this really is a clue we just found then there should be more" Philby said to Finn. "Let's scan the outside of the Cinderella Castle and by the time the others get here we can go on inside."

Normally Finn would just go into the Castle right away as any Disney fan would, but he found it a bit unfair to go in without the others. They should have the same epic feeling of being in the Cinderella Castle as he would.

"Okay then" Finn replied and from then on the two boys spent the next half hour going foot by foot of the Cinderella Castle hoping to find the same invisible lines as they did at the statue. They searched as hard as they could but couldn't find anything. The clue must be within the Castle.

"Hey Philby, meet me in the tunnel that goes under the castle. There's a doorway that goes inside." Finn asked through his Artemis.

A second later Philby replied, "Alright then. I'll meet you there."

The two boys circled around the castle to their rendezvous point and were now in front of the door that allows certain guess to go into the Cinderella Suite inside of the Castle.

"I got a good bet that the next clue must be in the Suite" said Philby.

"You know I feel bad for the others" Finn turned to Philby. "This is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Going up and actually stand in the Cinderella Suite."

"Well let's go up then mate" Philby replied as the two walk to the door.

But before they could touch it, things started to feel cold. Too cold. So cold that it stop the boys in their tracks.

"Dude are you feeling cold all of a sudden or is it just me" Finn asked.

"Nope. I feel it too."

The two were puzzled to what they were feeling.

"Did you ever feel hot or cold while we were here" Philby asked Finn.

"No. We're holograms; we shouldn't feel any temperature. If we did the hot Florida weather would tell us."

"Well whatever we're feeling, it's got to be something behind that door." Philby march to the door and tried to walk through it yet instead his body collided with the door, making him ounce in pain for a moment.

"Are you okay there" Finn asked as he walked over.

"I'm good." Philby's attention returned to the door. "Must be some glitch or something."

"Maybe."

The two boys decide to get away from the door to see if the cold would go away and eventually it did.

"Okay, that was weird."

Suddenly a blue line pulsed beneath the boys and to the Walt and Mickey statue behind them were in the distance they could make out 3 holograms. It was Charlene, Maybeck, and Willa.

As the boys made their way from the Castle and back to the statue.

"Hey there they are" Maybeck pointed out.

They all gathered together and Finn said, "Glad to see you all."

"What where you guys doing over there" Charlene asked.

"We were just trying to find some clues, but…"

Before Finn could explain the odd situation that had occurred, Maybeck interrupted saying "What clues?"

"This clue" Philby said as he pointed his Artemis scanner to the base of the statue revealing the hidden lines. The looks on Maybeck, Charlene, and Willa were those of disbelief as they couldn't believe they actually found a hidden message of some kind. From that point Finn and Philby ignored about the cold sensation underneath the Castle.

"Holy shit. That crazy old man was right" Maybeck said out loud.

"Yeah I guess he was" Philby responded to Maybeck's disbelief. All was quiet in that moment as their minds wrapped around the situation.

"So what do we do now" Willa asked with uncertainty.

Coming from the back of the group someone bombastically said, "I say we have some fun."

Everyone turned their heads to Charlene who was standing behind them. She then said, "We already found a clue so let's have some fun as our reward."

"But Charlene there are more clues to find" Philby said.

Charlene quickly reply, "Did Wayne said we had a due date to solve this mystery?"

She had a very good point. "Well no."

"Then sit back, sing hakuna matata, and let's have some fun while we are here" she said in a jovial manor. "Wayne did say nobody is in the park with us, so the Magic Kingdom is ours after dark."

Maybeck snap his fingers and gave a point gesture to her saying, "Girl I like the way you think."

Seeing that she was getting them over to her side she then said, "Come with guys. There is something that I have to show you."

Everyone was surprise by her request.

"What" Finn asked?

"Just follow me." And like that Charlene ran east towards Tomorrowland. The boys and Willa follow behind. Unlike the rest of the park Tomorrowland had three story structures and huge walls that were tall compared to the rest of the park. This was just what Charlene needed.

Seeing a railing about 2 stories above them she said loudly, "I'll race you to the top of that railing."

"Umm….okay" Willa said.

"Charlene what is this all about" Philby asked.

"What are you trying to show us" Finn questioned along.

Charlene smiled to herself as she started to run towards the wall and started to run on it!

All of them stop dead in their tracks as to what they were seeing.

With one hand on the wall, the other stretch out for balance, and her legs bent at an angle she was wall-running along the tall building. When she was near the railing she let her hand off the wall and jump towards the railing. Making a perfect landing she turned to the others below her and spread her arms out as if she was giving an ovation after doing a major athletic move.

Finn, Philby, Willa, and Maybeck couldn't believe what they just saw. It was like something out of video game coming to life before their eyes.

"So do you guys want to know how I just did that" Charlene asked.

"Hell yeah" Maybeck said with enthusiasm.

Philby then ask, "Why didn't you tell us about this Charlene?"

"We were looking for Wayne the last time we crossed over, so I figured it could wait. I learned this on the first night I crossed over. I was so bored I wanted to see if my hologram could walk on a wall. Well I couldn't walk a wall like I'm walking along a street but I could run along walls to get to high places. And this."

She then quickly jumped over the railing making everyone grasp as she was falling over two stories. But Charlene lifted on of her legs up and quickly slam it down in mid-air making her bounce! She bounced in the air and landed softly on the ground.

Again everyone was surprise to see her feat.

"Did you just double jumped in mid-air" Finn asked.

Charlene look to him in question as she never heard the term 'double-jump' before. "Well if you call it that then yeah."

"But how did you do that" Maybeck asked.

"It's easy" Charlene prepared herself to run the wall again. "You just look to where you're going, pretend there is a path on the wall for you, lay one hand against the wall, and feel like your legs are apart it." Charlene demonstrated once more and she once again defied gravity and the laws of physics as she ran along the wall and got to the railing above.

"As for cushioning your fall, all you have to do is pretend that there is a bouncing pad beneath your feet. Let the energy flow down your leg, bend your like as if you were about to jump on a small trampoline, jump your leg in mid-air, and you'll bounce up for a while before falling again."

Like before she jumped from the railing and did a mid-air jump that cushioned her fall; landing safely on the pavement.

"That's sounds easy to me" Maybeck said as he ran towards the wall. Before anyone could tell him to stop, he too was walking on the wall as Charlene did. Maybeck jumped the wall and was now on the railing.

"WHOA" Maybeck shouted from above. Everyone especially Charlene was surprise to how easy Maybeck adjusted to idea of wall-running.

"Great job hot shot" Finn said, "Now how are you going to get down without breaking a leg."

Maybeck look down realizing that he was really high. "Well shit."

Everyone laughed to Maybeck's situation. He could climb high but not low.

"No problem" Maybeck laid back in confidence. "I found a way out of this."

Before they knew it Maybeck jump off the side of the rail and along the wall to the next high area. He walked for over 30 feet until he found the next high ground. The others followed him until he stopped.

He turn to the others and asked, "Well are you guys going to join me?"

Finn and Willa found the idea of running on the wall as fun and so they ran towards the wall and like that they too ran the wall. Charlene followed and behind her so did Philby.

But when Philby hit the wall he slip about 2 feet off the ground and landed hard on his shoulder. By the time he got up, Finn and Willa were cheering in glee as they were on top with Maybeck and Charlene.

"Philby what's wrong" Willa asked from afar.

"I don't know. I couldn't stick with the wall and I just fell."

"Well keep trying there Philby" Maybeck shouted. "Were going to be here for a while so you'll get there by the end of tonight."

Philby felt uneased as he couldn't understand why he couldn't wall run. Maybe all he had to do was practice. "Okay. You guys do what you want. Like Charlene said, we have the park all to ourselves."

At that moment everyone knew that the Magic Kingdom was theirs for the taking and they could do whatever they want. They could walk into any area and not get into any trouble. They could potentially activate any ride they want and ride without anyone looking. Even if a security camera caught them, they would be seen as busted holograms. The park was all theirs and soon enough everyone went their way to do whatever they wanted to do.

* * *

Space Mountain, Tomorrowland

1:20 A.M.

The night echo with the voices of only 5 kids as they wondered about the Magic Kingdom. With no worry of punishment everyone played out their Disney fantasy of doing whatever they wanted to do in the park.

Finn mostly stayed in Space Mountain enjoying the science fiction setting. The tight spaces and low ceilings of the mountain filled his mind with a sense of nostalgia to classic retro space movies. The sense of being confined, secured, and safe from a hostile space environment boiled up the sci-fi geek within him. He wasn't nerd level geeky but he did enjoy movies and games set in space. We he got to the coaster and actually got on it by himself, it was an odd feeling to behold. This may the only time someone who doesn't work at Disney is riding Space Mountain by themselves. Although he did fear if his hologram would make him jump out by accident.

Thankfully he did not and the twists and turns of the ride gave him only excitement and not an ejection seat. By the time the coaster got to the end of the line, Finn got up and headed down the conveyer belt hallway.

But as he walked down the hall, he felt a sudden cold feeling that came out of nowhere, similar to how he felt at the Castle. It felt as if he had walked into a freezer, but that wasn't all. The lights in the tunnel started to behave oddly as they flickered on and off before shutting down; leaving Finn's blue hologram as the only source of light.

Suddenly a light appeared at the far end of the 20 meter corridor.

A faint green light that was subdued and covered by darkness.

At first Finn didn't know what to make of it, but then he remembered what he saw back at home. He realized that the light was a will-o-the-wisp and he knew just who this wisp belong to.

Yet as he stood still, the wisp slowly started to approach him, followed by the sound of footsteps. Feeling great panic Finn looked around to find an exit and he did. At the side of the tunnel was a door with a red exit sign and as quickly as he could Finn bolted through it, went through the stair case, down the narrow corridors, and eventually out the back of Space Mountain.

As he rested, Finn was surprise to see that he was actually exhausted and was taking deep breaths. It must have been another side effect that Wayne didn't see coming.

But Finn turn back to the mountain, wondering if he actually that close to seeing a Disney Villain. It may be just another hologram, as Wayne said, but if there were secrets to being a DHI then who knew what else would be in store.

But maybe he was over reacting. Only now did he realize how stupidly childish he was for being afraid of a cartoon character. He would tell the others about his encounter, but he would tell them once they would leave. After all she can't really hurt them.

* * *

Meanwhile Charlene and Maybeck were taking their holographic wall running capabilities to the extreme.

"Ready."

"Set."

"GO!"

Jumping off the transit rail from two stories in the air, Charlene and Maybeck stretched out to grab the wall far ahead of them. When they touched the wall they we latched onto it like a magnet and began crawling their way up the building.

"Second one to get to Town Square is a joke" said Maybeck in a mood of confidence.

Charlene couldn't help but smile to his challenge. "Okay, you're on."

The two immediately picked up the pace until they got to the ceiling. From atop Maybeck could see his path to victory. Go southwest over the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant, jump over to the buildings of Main Street, and straight down south to Town Square.

Yet he forgot he was standing still as he planned his route.

"See yeah" Charlene said as she sprinted pass Maybeck.

"Hey." Maybeck then gave chase to her.

While he was good with crawling on the wall, there was no doubt about it that Charlene was better to him when it came to sprinting. He guess that their strength also transferred over to their holograms and it look to be that Charlene's gymnastic training was being shown off to him.

As they sprinted across the ceiling of the restaurant, they were coming up to the large gap that they would have to jump across to get to Main Street. Charlene was ahead of Maybeck as the approached the gap.

Charlene did the math in head of when and what to do when it came to doing this big jump. She knew that she had to confidence to do what she was about to do, but she wasn't sure about Maybeck.

She jumped off the edge of the building and did mid-air jumps across the empty space as if she was jumping off small trampolines. Step by step she got closer the building across until she landed safely. Yet instead of running ahead, she turned to Maybeck to see if he could do it.

Seeing how easy it was for her, Maybeck then got a bright idea. He too jump the edge of the building and did mid-air jumps, but he was going up! Unlike Charlene who did a nice arch across the gap, Maybeck was running across as if he was running a flight of stairs. Once across he jump straight down and landed next to Charlene who was surprise.

"See yeah" Maybeck said as he ran south to Town Square.

Getting a hold of herself, Charlene was about to follow behind but she had a different idea.

Maybeck was surprise to see that Charlene had jumped down the building and landing down in Main Street on ground level. He didn't know what that was about. Until he got to the last building where he was high; really high. Maybeck's fear of falling came into play despite all that had happened previously. Jumping from two to three stories he could handle, but he must have been four stories high from his point.

Charlene from below then sprinted past him and touched the flag pole in Town Square winning the race.

As she was cheering her victory below, Maybeck from above yell "Why did you jump down back there?"

She turn to him and replied, "Because the buildings up Main Street are closer to the ground. Didn't you know that the buildings are tall at Town Square and get smaller as you go towards the Castle?"

"No" Maybeck shouted from afar, "How was I supposed to know that?"

"You do watch Disney World documentaries right" Charlene asked.

Maybeck tried of something to say, but he swallowed his words. Turns out she won the race by Disney fandom instead of endurance.

"Looks like you're the joke hot shot" Charlene said from below.

"Hay" Maybeck snapped his fingers to her, "I'm not a joke, I am Spider Man!"

She couldn't help but laugh to his response. "Well then 'Spider-Man', why don't you crawl down here and accept defeat?"

"I will." He then looked down and remembered how high he was. "Right after I check on the others"

"Sure" Charlene replied sarcastically.

Maybeck then walked down his path to find a good way down to the ground. As he did he check his Artemis and talked to the others.

First was Finn. "Hey Finn are you there?"

"Yeah."

"You feel like meeting up and just chat around."

"I guess. Just lay a waypoint and I'll meet you guys there."

Maybeck then talked to Willa, "Wills are you okay with meeting up and just chatting?"

He didn't hear a response for a few seconds until she eventually replied. "Later. Tell me where you guys will be and I'll catch up. I just want to enjoy the park."

"That's cool" Maybeck replied as he got to the last person on the list: Philby.

"Hello. Doctor Phil, you there?"

"What" Philby replied, but in an agitated tone.

This caught Maybeck by surprise. "Is everything okay with you?"

"Yeah, it's just I'm still trying to run the wall here."

"Hold on a second" Maybeck said stopping in his tracks, "You are still where we left you? After all this time?"

"Never mind that, what did you call me for?"

For a moment Maybeck was a reluctant to reply. He couldn't tell if Philby was either too nervous or too angry. "Well me and the others are just going to meet up and chat? You want to join?"

"Later" Philby replied. "Just after I walk this…" A thud sound could be heard through the com.

"Philby?"

"Bullocks! I almost had it there!"

Maybeck tough it best to leave him alone and turned off the com.

* * *

After replying to Maybeck's message Willa returned to her calm senses as she wondered the darken areas of the park on foot. She had always been someone to take the scenery around her and feel the overwhelming presence of being alone in a place that would normally be flooded with people.

She was making her way across Frontierland and towards Liberty Square, both of which were west of the Castle. Willa walked slowly along the wooden docks on the water's edge with Tom Sawyer's island not too far away.

Something about being alone always brought comfort to Willa. Being alone allowed her to self-reflect and understand her own thoughts, which in turn would allow her to learn more about her personality. It was an odd thing to put into words and maybe that was why her parents couldn't understand where she was coming from over the years.

She looked at the large steamboat docked near Liberty Square, yet as much as she tough about wanting to toy around with it, she found it best not to manage things too complicated. She was quiet but she knew that she wanted more than tranquility in her life.

Instead she looked to the Presidential Hall and decided to go in. She had always found it fascinating that despite being in a small building, the wide halls and atrium made the Hall feel larger than what is was on the outside.

Willa made her way to the large auditorium and took a seat in the center of the theater. For her there was an odd feeling of fascination in sitting by herself in such a wide space, most likely the artistic sense of being so small in a bigger picture. As the sense of isolation gave her goose-bumps, despite being a hologram, she also felt a chill go up her spine.

But that chill then spread across her body.

As the cold sensation overcame her, the lights in the auditorium started to act up as if the power was faltering. Not wanting to be in the auditorium when it's pitch black, she made her way out of the theater and back outside.

Back under the moonlight sky, the cold feeling that overcame Willa disappeared. However the lights in Liberty Square were acting up as were the lights in the Presidential Hall. But what caught her attention was a green light orb hovering over the Square that then shot across the sky, making the power restore to normal.

Willa didn't know what she had seen but she assumed that it was most likely just a glitch in the DHI system.

* * *

The Crystal Palace, Main Street U.S.A.

1:40 A.M.

In small corner of the park where Main Street and Adventureland connected was the Crystal Palace restaurant where Finn, Maybeck, and Charlene decided to meet together. The restaurant was covered almost entirely with glass windows and ceilings looking similar to a greenhouse. Underneath the grand glass dome at the center was where the kids resided as they had simply conversations. Finn was just starting his crazy gamer chat story.

"So me and my friend Dillard where playing a normal online game and there was this big time douche that was annoying as hell and just wouldn't shut up."

"How annoying" Maybeck asked?

"Well…just imagine someone shouting every time he kills you and calls you something other than your gamer tag. I can tell you his insults almost made my friend change his name from 'doughboy007' to 'Mr. Porkins'."

Maybeck and Charlene gave a small chuckle.

"That's just the beginning. By the time we were in the middle of the game this douche was talking on the phone and what was said over his microphone was nothing short of hilarious. So this is how it went down and I quote:

Finn impersonated a different voice and said, _"Yeah…..Mom...What are you calling me for?!...Well what the hell you doing in jail?!"_

The two of them laughed as Finn continued.

 _"Damn it mom don't you know that you shouldn't be driving drunk while carrying a gun...What… That wasn't all?!...Well how did they find drugs on….WAIT….you didn't use my car now did you!"_

Maybeck burst into laughter at that point.

 _"What no…..no…..no mom...It's not even mine!"_

Then Charlene laughed as well.

 _"It's not even mine…Oh my god mom…And you called who?!…..Oh my god...It's not even mine…Well Carly is a liar!"_

If they could die of laughter, Maybeck and Charlene would be dead by now.

Finn then went to his normal self and said, "At that point some guy on our team got payback which may just be the greatest comeback insult I've heard in my life. And what he said was _'Congratulation Mr. Douche for killing me earlier; now go pick up your drunk mom and don't forget your pot on the way out of jail._ '"

Finn couldn't contain himself and laughed alongside Maybeck and Charlene. "And that night our teams' laughter woke up the entire state of Florida."

Charlene got a hold of herself and said; "I believe you on that."

"Dude you should have recorded that or something because that would have been internet gold" said Maybeck.

"I don't know about that but it sure was a priceless moment." Finn returned to his normal self as he was glad to see his story make his new friends laugh. He then asked them, "So what about you guys?"

Maybeck turn to Charlene to ask, "Why don't you share a story with us Charlie? We don't know much about you after all."

She was rather surprised that she was getting attention. "Well, you guys already know I'm a cheerleader and athlete but can you guess what I'm also good at?"

The boys nodded their heads.

"Choreography and dancing."

"Wait; you mean you've got some theatre arts talent in you" Finn asked.

"Of course" Charlene replied. "I use to play in a lot of musicals for my school. And just like for cheerleading I was the head leader of my group."

Maybeck find it hard to believe that Charlene was this active in so many things. "So you're saying you're the head dancer in your choreography class, a cheerleader, and an athlete?"

"Head cheerleader" Charlene clarified, "and I was part of the top 3 in my school track team."

Now Finn found it hard to believe what she was saying. "Are you being for real with us?"

"I am" she replied, "Many don't believe what I say until they actually see it for themselves."

"But why" Maybeck asked. "What's the point of doing everything that you do?"

Charlene replied, "There is no point. I just do what I do because I want to do it."

The boys didn't seem to understand where she was coming from, so she clarified.

"You see when people strive to be a champion some of them do it to prove something to themselves or to others, but that's not the way I work. For me I just do it because I enjoy doing it. For other people it's work but for me it's active fun."

Finn and Maybeck found it hard to believe someone could have fun from working.

She continued saying, "I just love a challenge."

Now that made sense to the two boys.

Maybeck then got a question in his head. "Seeing that we are in Disney World, can I ask you something Charlene?"

"What?"

"Do you hate Disney Princesses?"

She was taken back by this. "And why would you ask that?"

"Because every girl I've ever met has hated Disney Princesses in some way, shape, or form."

Charlene relied to his question saying, "Well you must met a lot of girls that suck in life."

Both Maybeck and Finn were surprised to what she was saying.

"When it comes to girls and Princesses I don't know what the big fuss is about. When people say they hate the Disney Princesses it's always, they aren't good role models or that they aren't real enough; and every time I hear that I just face palm myself. There Princesses in a fairy tale movie, why the hell would girls want role models and reality in that?!."

"You're taking this more seriously than I tough" Maybeck said. "Are you a big Princess fan?"

"I wouldn't say I'm a fan but I do like them in terms of Disney characters" Charlene replied. "But it's people that always blame Disney Princesses for girls not being active that gets to me; saying that they make girls want to do nothing and wait for a guy to come or to just be all happy and things will go your way. BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT MOST GIRLS DO!"

Finn and Maybeck backed up from her bombastic words.

"Do you know how many cheerleaders join up just to have a guy look at them? Or how many of them make stay mostly on the internet to avoid facing reality? Girls aren't active because they see Disney movies, they're aren't active because they aren't active!"

"So I take it you're okay with Princesses" Finn asked with caution.

"Yes. They may not be the greatest people to look up to but they're kind and caring. There's nothing wrong with that. I mean that's something boys and girls should take from. They're fantasy, so just see them as fantasy. If you want someone to look up to, then look to someone that is real."

Charlene could tell she was going off on a tangent so she calmed herself. "Sorry about that guys. It's probably odd for you to see someone like me defending Princesses but they are what I like about Disney. I like Cinderella, Ariel, Jasmine, and the others as well. They're not the greatest characters in the world, but their characters in a fairy tale so what do you expect? If people want girls to be great, then they have to choose to be great. I'm great at what I do because I earned it through years of effort and it just angers me to see people who fail to blame all their problems on movies and for people to actually buy that load of BS. "

The boys agreed with her on that for certain.

"I'm just going to shut up on this" Charlene decided. "So do you guys know more about me now?"

"Oh yeah" Maybeck and Finn replied at the same time.

"It sucks that Willa and Philby weren't here for my rant."

"Speaking of which I'm wondering how they're doing" Finn asked.

"Hang on." Maybeck pulled up the Artemis and to text Willa. "Hey Wills if you're reading this, come by the Crystal Palace so we can all get together when we return."

Maybeck then turn to Philby, but this time he talked to him. "Hey Philby are you okay."

"GOD DAMN IT!"

Everyone at the table were surprise to hear Philby so angry even though he it was only his voice.

"Are you okay there Philby?"

"No! Don't talk to me okay! It breaks my concentration!"

Maybeck then turned off his com tab and said, "Yeah, someone has go talk to him."

"What's he so angry about" Finn asked.

"He's still trying to run the wall and its pissing him off that he can't."

"So he's got bull dog determination huh" Charlene implied seeing that she has dealt with that kind of personality in her many fields. "I'm going to go check on him. When we come back we'll return back home okay."

The boys nodded in agreement and Charlene left the table to walk over to Tomorrowland. But that didn't stop Maybeck from wanting to chat.

"Hey Finn, have you ever heard the tale of Barbaric Man?"

"Who?"

* * *

Tomorrowland

1:48 A.M.

Charlene made her way to the same place where they were before and found Philby continuing in his efforts to run the wall. When he was 10 feet above the ground he fell down on the pavement, landing hard on his shoulder. She rushed to check on Philby seeing that he was starting to hurt himself.

"Philby are you okay?"

"Do I look okay to you" he replied with frustration and anger. "I've spent over an hour trying to run this damn thing and every time I'm about to I can't!"

She knew that Philby needed to control himself and calm down. "Philby, you have to take break from this."

"I'm not taking a break till I do what you and the others can do." Philby was about the run again but this time he felt Charlene's hand on his shoulder.

"Philby you need to stop this! It's just wall running; it's no big deal!"

"It is for me" Philby yelled as he shrugged her off and ran along the wall only to fall on his shoulder yet again. But instead of cursing he merely pounded the ground.

Seeing his bull dog determination, Charlene knew she couldn't talk him out of it. So she decided to get him in line.

"If you're going to keep hurting yourself, then do it in a way where you're actually getting somewhere" she said as she walked up to him. "Do you want me to help you?"

Philby looked up to her in distain, having envy towards her. "Why don't you just buzz off and leave me alone."

She didn't like how that sounded and now she was pissed.

"I don't know what you just said but it sounded like an F.U."

Charlene mustard her strength and picked Philby up to his feet.

"Now you listen to me, I don't know if you have some egocentric problem but you're not getting anywhere with acting like a jerk. The way I see it you have 2 ways of getting what you want. The first is you can continued to act like a jerk and spending the rest of your time here breaking your shoulder. Second is you take my advise and start making progress slowly."

Philby avoid eye contact with her, trying to deny his stubborn behavior.

Charlene continued saying, "You don't have to run this wall to be like the rest of us and you don't have to prove anything." She then let him go. "Now I'm going leave you here for a while and when I come back, you better cool your head and apologize to me."

And like that she walked away leaving Philby by himself. At first he ignored her, saying to himself that she couldn't understand his situation of not being able to achieve what everyone else can. But then he started to look back to what he said and only now was he starting to feel ashamed for what he said.

 _You dumbass_ , he thought to himself.

Before Charlene was out of sight Philby shouted, "I'm sorry about what I said!"

She turned and walk towards him asking in a sarcastic manor, "Say that again, I didn't hear you?"

Philby could tell Charlene was like his mother who wanted him to feel humiliation for his actions but he knew that his rude behavior warranted it.

"I'm sorry about what I said. It was wrong of me and I shouldn't have said that. I just feel like I'm a failure for failing to do what others can."

Charlene smiled to his courage in admitting his mistakes and giving reason to it. She walked to him and patted him on the arm. "You're not a failure okay. You just need a helping hand."

He was surprise to see that she forgave him that quickly.

"I'm sorry" he said once more.

"It's cool" she said as she walked over to a small wall. "Forget wall running, I think that you need to start with something a bit more simple."

Philby followed behind her and asked, "What do you mean?"

She was going to say 'wall running' but that would have too much of a negative connotation to it. She then remembered what Maybeck said early and smiled at the idea.

"I want you to climb this wall like your Spiderman."

He couldn't believe what Charlene was asking of him. "What?"

"Come over here and pretend that you're climbing the wall like a superhero."

Philby approached the wall with uncertainty. "I don't know about this."

"Trust me on this. Now show me what you got."

After a few seconds of focusing at the task at hand, Philby approached the wall and climbed it like an insect just like Charlene and Maybeck; but then after a few feet he fell and landed on his feet. His frustrations returned once again.

"Hold it" Charlene yelled, making sure his anger didn't boil to the surface. "Before you rant, what did you feel before you fell?"

"What?"

"Just tell me what did you feel?"

"I don't know. I want to climb the wall. I do. After that I want to get to the top and then I just fall."

"What goes through your head after you tell yourself to get to the top?"

"Don't fall down."

Right there it made sense to Charlene what was wrong with Philby's DHI. "And there is your problem. When your mind is afraid to fall then you will fall. Wayne said our holograms make us real when we focus on something really hard and that's why you've haven't been able to stick to walls all night."

Philby's mind exploded from that epiphany. He was so focused on achieving his task that he forgot to question why he was failing in the first place. He felt extremely stupid for not considering that. He now realized if he wanted to climb the wall, he would have to avoid the thought of falling. He cleared his mind of everything and focused at the wall.

"Philby" Charlene said.

"What?"

She came to him and patted softly on his injured shoulder. "Relax. You have nothing to prove. Okay."

Philby took a deep breath and calmed himself. Charlene meanwhile took a few steps back and said, "Don't fear failure."

After reverting his mind to a more childlike mentality, Philby threw logic out the window and climbed the wall. And to his amazement he climbed the wall like a spider and made his wall all the way to the top of the building!

When he did get on top, he cheered like he was the king of the world. "

Charlene smiled below feeling proud to his achievement and her own. After years of dealing with stressed out cheerleaders and dancers, Philby was and easy case in comparison.

* * *

The Crystal Palace

1:58 A.M.

When Philby and Charlene made their way back to the others, Maybeck had just finished sharing his crazy story to Finn and Willa.

"And that there is how Maurice and I made the first prehistoric superhero" Maybeck said in glee as he spotted the two. "So are things okay with you Philby?"

"Yeah I guess" Philby replied in slight humility. "Hey Maybeck I'm sorry about being rough to you on the radio earlier so…"

"Chill Dr. Phil" Maybeck said, "It's cool."

"Okay then" Philby scratched the back of his head in slight humility, "So are you guys ready to go?"

Before anyone could reply the lights outside the restaurant started to act up.

Willa noticed the phenomenon earlier. "Have any of you seen the lights act up some time?"

"Yeah" Finn said, "The lights in Space Mountain were like that."

All of a sudden the many lights in the restaurant turned on. They looked to see if someone had found them, but no avail. Feeling uneased, the five teenagers left the Crystal Palace only to notice that every light in the Magic Kingdom was on and glowing bright.

"Dude, what's going on here" Maybeck asked.

Before they knew it a loud explosion rocked the park and every light was turned off, leaving only the five blue holograms. Yet before any of them could speak their mind, a familiar cold came about them.

"Philby, do you feel that" Finn asked.

"Yeah. It's that cold breeze we felt at the castle."

"I feel it too" Willa said having felt the cold sensation at Liberty Square.

"Why is it all cold all of a sudden" Charlene asked, having not felt the sensation.

Maybeck pulled up his Artemis to see if it could tell him anything. "This thing tells me it's 78 degrees out here."

Philby couldn't believe what Maybeck was telling them. "That doesn't make sense."

Before Finn could tell everyone to calm down he noticed that amiss from the blue light their holograms were projecting. There was a tint of green light. Turning to see what was projecting the light, Finn was surprised by the green orb of energy floating behind him. The others hadn't noticed as well.

Charlene asked "What's that?"

Philby quickly replied, "Probably just a glitch in the DHI system."

A horrible revelation started to overcome Finn's nerves as it was the same orb as in Space Mountain.

"Guys, Wayne was right on us being holograms and that there was a mystery…"

Finn knew this green orb was a will-o-the-wisp and he knew who it belongs too.

"I don't think he was joking about Maleficent being in the park with us."

Before he knew it the wisp passed right through Finn's hologram as well as the other DHIs before shooting across the open plaza to a window in the Cinderella Castle. The teens could tell that the orb wanted the five of them to follow it to the Castle.

Finn turned to the others slowly finding the question he was about to ask to be very stupid. "So you guys want to see Maleficent?"

"The good, the bad, or the ugly" Maybeck replied.

Finn response to Maybeck's Eastwood question was, "Well seeing that that wisp was from Sleeping Beauty, I say were going to meet the bad guy version of her."

Maybeck turn to Willa and said, "Sorry Willa, looks like you won't be seeing the good."

"I like her before she was good" Willa replied.

The kids looked up the castle contemplating on whether or not they should make their way up. But then they realized what was there to be afraid of? It was only a cartoon character after all

"Well" Finn said making his decision on behalf of the group, "Let's check it out."

The five of them then ran across the open plaza of the Magic Kingdom and to the tunnel underneath the Castle where Finn and Philby once felt the cold sensation. Only this time it wasn't there once they reach the door. In fact the cold disappeared ever since the wisp got away from them.

They all came to a halt at the side door of the tunnel that would be their way up to the Cinderella Suite were the wisp had gone to. Maybeck didn't see why Finn and Philby didn't go through the door, so he went first.

Talking from the other side he said, "It is cool guys, come on in."

Finn, Philby, Charlene, and Willa walked through the door and found themselves in a small room with a concierge desk, an old style grandfather clock, and what appeared to be carpet tapestries along the stone wall. The power to the park was out so room was allured in blue light. To the side they saw Maybeck near the elevator where the doors were opened to them. Clearly not everything was out of power.

"Come on. Everyone onboard."

Entering the elevator the five of them were astonished by the aesthetics. The elevator resembled a carriage with golden style plates upon wooden walls and a floor made of hundreds of tiles making a medieval crest symbol.

Maybeck pushed the button that lead up and the doors closed, taking them up to the Cinderella Suite above. As they waited inside the elevator the cold sensation returned. It felt as had entered a freezer but they couldn't understand what was causing this sensation.

The doors of the elevator open to a small room where Cinderella decorations were displayed and only a meter from them was a large wooden door that was the entrance to the suite.

Finn walk towards the door only to collide with it. His hologram didn't allow him to go through similar to what happened earlier. As he went for the handle, doubt froze him.

"What are you waiting for" Charlene asked.

It took a moment for Finn to gather his thoughts. "I don't know about this."

It was surprising to Philby that Finn would possibly be worried about a meeting a Disney Villain. "Finn, it's a cartoon in the 21st century; I think that it is more scared of us than you should be of it."

"I know that" Finn turn to Philby, "It's just I have a feeling we are getting ourselves into something bigger than what signed up for."

Maybeck patted Finn on the shoulder saying, "Don't worry, we all got your back." He then turned to the others and said, "Am I right?"

"Of course" Charlene said.

"Well we are in this together" Philby said.

Willa shrugged and said, "To the end I guess."

Finn turned to the door once more, calmed his mind, and said, "Well here goes nothing then."

Opening the large wooden door, the entire Cinderella Suite was lite in a dark green color. The room was empty but there were three green will-o-the-wisps hovering over the room. The suite looked like it was straight out of fantasy, composed of two king size beds, a fireplace, and stain glass windows opposite from the doorway. Despite coming out of an elevator, the 5 DHIs felt they had stepped back in time to medieval Europe.

Slowly entering the room, they were surprise to see no one was present. They could see the room was made of three areas, the main sleeping quarter, the bathroom only a foot away from them, and the parlor at the far side. When they walked over to the parlor they froze at what they were seeing.

There she was; sitting down on a chair with the moon lite windows that revealed her devilish horns and highlighted her unnatural tone of white skin. She was as they expected her to be, dressed in a long black robe and having a beautiful demeanor to her. While her high cheek bones and arching eyebrows emulated a grim presence, it was her relaxed smile and widen eyes that made the 5 DHIs feel anxious. They had seen her in as a cartoon and in live action in Disney movies, but to actually see her before their eyes was something supernatural. At first they though it was just part of their imagination.

That was until she blinked her eyes and said in a gracious voice, "Hello there."

* * *

 **AN: And that there people ends Chapter 8 of Project DHI. If you guys thought this was a boring chapter then I agree with you. Out of all the chapters I didn't expect myself to be this bored with this particular one. Apart from characterization, there wasn't much in this chapter to progress the plot. So why is this the longest chapter of the story as of yet? My answer to that is this: there is so much missing in the Kingdom Keepers. I don't know where to begin on how many things that the book series needed to do. It's a complex thing to talk about, but here I'm going to talk about this chapter and why it turned out the way it did.**

 **Dillard: Getting back to The Princess Maker's question, this chapter was necessary because it would allow the story to show the friendship between Dillard and Finn. In the book series I never felt anything for Dillard's character or his death in the 6th book because the series never cared to explore the supposed 'friendship' he had with Finn. The series was so devoted to making Finn be friends with the Keepers that it left Dillard completely out of the picture. Seriously, how many times is he mentioned in the book series? His friendship isn't shown to warrant my care for his character. Apart from a part in Kingdom Keepers 4: Power Play, he doesn't do anything major for Keepers. And his capture at Dark Passages was so out of the blue that I was like, 'oh no it's...that guy...oh you got to be kidding me...THIS IS WHO THE KEEPERS ARE GOING TO SAVE?' And don't get me started on 'The Dillard' in Kingdom Keepers 7. WHY MAKE A HOLOGRAM OF HIM AND NOT PUT HIM IN THE RETURN SERIES?! Anyway, in this chapter I wanted this reboot to do what the book should have done and that was to make Dillard a friend to Finn. Finn will grow with the Keepers, but Dillard should be his true best friend and what better way to show that then childhood memories? Apart from that, I also made Dillard from out of state and this aspect could play in the future, but not in this story. This chapter was made for Dillard to give insight to his friendship with Finn and I do hope that I started off on a good note. Final thing: the only thing that could have saved Dillard's character in the books was to make him a DHI and why Pearson didn't do this, I have no idea.**

 **Finn's nostalgia: Originally, this chapter was only to consist of the Dillard talking to Jez about his friendship with Finn and of all the Keepers just chatting at Main Street; but amiss the chaos I thought it would be a good idea to put a little more in. Finn watching Sleeping Beauty on VHS and giving significance to why he loves Disney was one such thing. The books never gave a reason as to why the Keepers should risk their lives to save the parks apart from liking Disney. This reboot will give something far more significant than just 'saving Disney', but here it is a good starting point as to why this should be at it's core a Disney story. There was the Disney factor, but also the family factor as well. The idea of the VHS tapes and how Finn's father got them are based on my real life parents who bought all the Disney movies before my birth and to this day those tapes are the greatest thing that they could have ever bought for me. I wanted that to translate to this story. Lastly, in changing Finn's father from a strict father to a fallen soldier I also changed his name. In the books Finn's father was Donald Whitman, but in this reboot it is Johnathan Whitman.**

 **DHI Abilities: I'm not going to lie, when I had free time this previous months I wanted to stay as far away from writing as possible to play video games and see anime. But that didn't mean Project DHI was out of the picture. When I see other forms of media and art, I try to take what I can and use it to make something of my own. The DHI's having the ability to wall run and double jump are out from the video games of 2016. These abilities are here not only because of the gamer within me. The Kingdom Keepers lore NEEDED something like this for the holograms. They can pass through walls and interact with things, but they can't defy gravity or physics even if they are pure light? This here I added not only to allow the Keepers to have fun, but to actually give more significance to being a hologram apart from moving through objects.**

 **The funny conversation: This is a small aspect but one that I still want to talk about. Why? What was so hard for me in reading the Kingdom Keepers wasn't it's lack of magic, or themes, but it's horrendous dialogue. Most of what the Keepers said in the books didn't have much weight in meaning or significance. It felt like hearing someone reading from a script; the dialogue is spoken but the feeling is monotone. I cannot stress about how horrible Pearson's interpretations of teenage dialogue was in the books. Never once did I feel like I was listen to teenage characters talking. This may be because they never talked about teenage things or give that sense of random conversation that makes you want to hear in. That was what I was hoping for with this small part in the chapter. If the DHIs aren't talking about things that progress the story, can it at least be entertaining and give context to the world they inhabit? I hope that I manage to do this.**

 **Philby acting up: Seeing that I was already adding a lot to this chapter, I saw it fitting to have a chapter to show Philby's stubborn characteristic for 2 reasons. The first is that it's apart of his character in the books and second is that it helps to show what kind of person Charlene is. Philby as many fans know in the 5th and 6th books started to act like a jerk from time to time and his relationship with Finn was one of spite. Philby didn't like Finn because he was the leader and Finn didn't like Philby because Wayne would tell him more because he's the brains of the group. I swear their hatred towards each other was stronger than towards the enemies they were suppose to face. But yeah, Philby acted like a douche from time to time and what is criminal about the series is that he never apologized nor did he do anything to warrant being cool again; it's like he had some big mood swing and everything goes back to normal. No way. That's not how it works. In this reboot he does have his spiteful characteristic, but he does feel stupid for it and he does apologize for his behavior. That didn't happen in the books. And he actually gave a reason to why he was spiteful; to see others achieve things he can't. That's understandable. As for how it helped Charlene, I could have let Charlene's talk on her achievements and the Disney Princess be enough but it wasn't for me. I felt that she need to display her talent or show she was a leader of some kind. Show don't tell; or in books actions and not words. She may not have shown her full potential, but it was better to show something than nothing at all.**

 **And that sums up my discussion for Chapter 8 of Project DHI. I would talk about how the DHIs meet Maleficent but that is for the next chapter. A chapter that I've been dying to write because it includes the character that was my gateway to the Kingdom Keepers series. I hope you all have enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave a review to let me know what you guys think. Your voice matters in this story. Next chapter we will see how 5 teens talk to a real Disney Villain. Yet before I head off I want to leave off on a personal note.**

 **For anyone who has followed this story, I'm glad that your still on board with me on this great adventure. There aren't that many Kingdom Keepers fans out there in the world and I'm glad to see on this site and in my story that the fandom is still alive. I'm grateful to have you all as my audience and make no mistake when I say I write this story for you and the fans of Disney and the Kingdom Keepers. I may not give you everything for now but I am listening to what you all have to say and in the future I will deliver what I can to the best of my ability. Today starts 2017 and let's all hope for a better tomorrow.**


	9. Chapter 9: The Evil Fairy

**AN: Hello everyone, this is Proto and I'm back in action after weeks of adjustments and sickness. I was hoping to get this chapter done before Valentine's Day, but then I had to deal with the worst common cold that I've had in years and it put me out of commission for at least 10 days. I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday with their special someone or with family. As for why this latest chapter took so long to write out, let's just say I tried to do something different and it failed. The last chapter took a long time to make because I worked from it step by step; so instead this time I just wrote out what came to mind and it was a disaster. Well after flipping the chapter upside down I finally got it done and am please to continued the story of Project DHI. But first a few reply to reviews on the previous chapter.**

 **Jay Hayden: I happy to see that your enjoying Dillard in this reboot. The Dillard was in Return 2: Legacy of Secrets? Damn, I had completely forgotten that. I don't know why they just did that in the books, with the Disney Imagineering team making The Dillard. That's kind of mess up when you make a AI hologram of a dead kid am I right? I can't help but feel that Pearson was wanting to use The Dillard as an excuse to make the real Dillard have meaning, but if he wanted to do that he should have made Dillard a Kingdom Keeper in the 3rd or 4th book. As for realism, your right on Finn sounding real but I'm not sure about Amanda; she at times acts a bit overdramatic. Charlene is by far not the most developed or unique character as of now in Project DHI but I hope that future chapters will give more opportunity. As for your concern about Disney magic, you are correct as ever. Magic is the core and heart of every Disney property and that is no exception in Project DHI. This story may be more science fiction now, but as new stories come along with Amanda and many more OCs are introduced as well as Disney characters, the magic element will grow exponentially.**

 **Princess Maker: Glad you like the idea of the VHS tapes. That's something that was missing from the Kingdom Keepers books. A feeling of nostalgia or of childhood innocence which surprisingly the books never go into. In fact I don't really recall any time in the books were the Keepers actually give reasons as to why they want to protect Disney and all it's parks. I'm relieved to hear you enjoyed the last chapter, that puts a smile on my face seeing that it wasn't a lost cause. There's something else in your review I want to talk about, but that will have to wait till the end of this chapter.**

 **Before the story goes on I just want to say to any readers or reviewers that if you don't want to give you a shout out every chapter just PM me and I'll respect your word. I say this because I don't want to put anyone in a uncomfortable position of were if you speak out I'll share it out loud in the next posted chapter. I only give shout outs because I want you all to feel included in this story and to give my opinion to my fellow Kingdom Keeper fans out there. No one where I live knows what the Kingdom Keepers are so to actually see people who know this series is a relief to my inner fandom. Anyway on with Chapter 9 of Project DHI. Six decades after that night in California she is now back.**

* * *

Chapter 9: The Evil Fairy

The Cinderella Suite, Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida U.S.A

September 3, 2019 (Tue.)

2:02 AM

The five teenagers stood motionless and quiet as they tried to perceive what they were looking upon. When Wayne told them about her they had assumed he was only trying to frighten them to do his quest yet her she was right before them. Sitting at the far end of the pallor with the moonlight piercing the stain glass windows behind her, was Maleficent, the evil fairy from Sleeping Beauty.

Raising the first two fingers on her right hand in the manor of an Orthodox blessing, she said once more in generous voice that was youthful and elegant in tone. "Hello there."

The kids remained silent until eventually Maybeck broke the silence. "Umm…okay" He waved his hand slightly. "Hi?"

Maleficent gave a small chuckle. "Forgive me. I'm sure this is a surreal situation for you, but you can be at ease."

She motioned her hand to the couch in the pallor stationed in front of her. With a smile she said in an inviting tone, "So sit down. Let us introduce ourselves."

They all looked at each other with an awkward sensation not knowing how to take their situation. But none the less they all sat on the couch; now face to face with the fairy.

Yet she noticed that they were covering their shoulders. "Is something bothering you?"

Naturally the kids stayed quiet, so Maleficent added, "I want you all to be comfortable, so please tell me what's wrong."

With the cold getting to her nerves, Charlene said, "Its cold as hell in this room."

"It's room temperature in here" Maleficent said.

Not believing her Philby pulled out his Artemis and looked at his _Environment_ tab. "She's right. It is 72 degrees up here."

Sitting back Maleficent ponder what was the cause of their senses. She then had an idea.

"I think I have a solution to your problem." She then pulled out a twin pair of silver bracelets from her robes. "Don't find this amusing." Lowering her head down she locked the bracelets around the base of her horns; feeling slightly embarrassed for displaying such a sight.

The cold sensation suddenly seized for the 5 DHIs, having a normal feeling again once more. Philby looked to Maleficent and asked, "What did you do?"

"Your guess is as good as mine" she replied. "But never mind that. Let us get to know each other. I'm curious to you as I'm sure you are to me."

A moment of silence then grew between the parties as they tried to find a starting point of where to being a conversation.

Having a hard time to make out Maleficent's features through the darkness, Finn said, "You don't mind if I turn on the lights? It's kind of dark in here."

"I prefer the darkness; the light bothers me sometimes" she said. "But for this special occasion you may."

Getting up from the couch, Finn walked back to the main bedroom and found the switch to the lights near the door they had just entered. Before he flip the switched his mind turned to the three green wisps floating in the room. "What are these things" he asked Maleficent from afar.

"Oh never mind them. They're just there for theatrics."

Taking her word for it, Finn turned on the lights and the room lite up. Returning to the pallor Finn and the others could finally make out Maleficent's features. Her eyes were closed, feeling the indoor light as discomforting, but eventually she opened them and looked to the 5 DHIs. To all there surprise they all found themselves captivated by Maleficent's beauty. Her dark eyeshadow and lashes enhanced her wide eyes and arching eyebrows. Her face was sharp with a curved nose, thin lips, and high cheekbones. Her skin was an unusually tone of white, but that only made her red lips and dark mascara stand out. The kids had seen many versions of her in live action, but none of them were as captivating as what they were seeing.

Her head was covered in black leather wrappings, but her horns weren't the chrome black color they expected. Instead they looked like snake skin when it's shedding, being light brown with a few hints of black.

"I do apologize for not looking my best" Maleficent replied, "My horns tend to molt after every season."

"Umm...okay" Finn said as he sat back on the couch with the lights in the Cinderella Suite now on. "So...are you kind of freak out by us?"

"What do you mean" she asked.

"Well, we're glowing blue and you really don't seem surprised by that."

Maleficent gave a small chuckle to Finn's statement. "I know what you all are. Your holographic projections controlled beyond your bodies."

They were all surprise to hear how accurate she was.

"I have to say I'm quite impressed Wayne could make such technology in such a short period of time."

"You know Wayne" Philby asked.

"Yes" Maleficent replied. "And I know he's forcing you to be here against you wile am I correct?"

Seeing no harm in their response all the DHIs nodded their heads in agreement.

"Seeing that you are here because of Wayne I will not lie that I sympathize with your current predicament."

"Well we're all not going to argue with that" Charlene said.

"I'm glad to tell you that I'm here to answer what Wayne won't tell you; but first let us formally introduce ourselves."

She then got up from her chair and did a royal bow, "I'm Maleficent and I welcome you to my domain."

Being out of her seat the kids were shocked to see just how huge Maleficent was. It may be the illusion from her black robes that took up a lot of space but she was taller in comparison to everything in the pallor in which they resided in.

"As the Mistress of this land I hope you find your stay here as welcoming as possible." Sitting back down she continued saying, "But if you are to remain guess in my eyes, you'll have to know a few rules first."

"Rules" Maybeck questioned.

"Rules" Maleficent repeated, "And they are very simple so even if you're a fool, which is yet to be determine, you can still understand."

The kids stayed still not knowing what to expect.

"Ready" Maleficent said before lifting her index finger.

"Rule one: Don't lie to me."

She then lifted a second finger.

"Rule two: Do as I say."

Third finger.

"Rule three: Don't give me a reason to kill you."

All the DHIs were now paying attention to her after she said 'kill'.

"So let me repeat" Maleficent said, "Don't lie to me, do as I say, and don't give me a reason to kill you. Do you understand?"

All of their heads nodded.

"Say that you promise."

"We promise" all of them said quietly and in disunity.

"Say it louder" Maleficent demanded.

"We promise!"

Smiling in what could be taken as satisfaction she said, "Good. Now let me some provide some clarity to what was said a few nights ago between you and Wayne."

"You overheard us" Finn asked.

"Of course" Maleficent replied, "I know about the Stonecutter mystery and I know what he told you about me. Well I'm here to say that I'm not a DHI like yourselves, but rather a real physical being."

All of the DHIs looked to each other not really knowing what to make of what she just said.

But then Maybeck opened his mouth. "Sure" he said in a sarcastic tone.

"Let me show you" she said as she turned to Willa. "Would you kindly get a glass of water."

Willa found her request odd, but none the less she got up from the sofa and walked pass the sleeping quarters of the Cinderella Suite to the royal bathroom to get some water.

Returning to the pallor with a cup of water she was about to give it to Maleficent before she said "Now please drink the water; right there where you stand."

Not knowing what she was trying to prove Willa quickly swallowed the water and her hologram flicker slightly as the water passed through her to the carpet below.

"Now sit down" Maleficent told Willa who complied and sat down with the others once more.

Lifting her finger the water on the floor started to bleed up and float in mid-air. The kids were astonished to see water float in what appeared to be zero gravity. Suddenly the cup Willa was holding shot out of her hands and floated to Maleficent's grasp. The water floating in the air then came together and flowed to the cup in the form of a stream. Once all the water was in the cup, Maleficent took a quick look at the water and if flashed green, making the water hot to the point of giving off steam.

"As you can see, I just took the water you spilled and made it drinkable once more" she said before drinking the water, Only this time, no water passed through her. "That was quite refreshing."

Sitting frozen on the couch the five holograms found it hard to believe to what they were witnessing. The water went through Willa but not through her. What did this mean?

Putting down the cup she went on to say, "If you're wondering why I'm real it's because of the pen your searching for. Apparently it has some abilities that are beyond understanding, but that is why Wayne want's it so dearly. So much so he is willing put you children in danger." She then gave a small chuckle, "Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm sure this is all too much for you to take so I'll just let our time together explain things in the future."

"Time together" Finn asked.

"Well you can't just wonder about my home without me overlooking you. Besides, I want to solve this mystery more desperately than you."

Crossing her legs in a curious poster Maleficent said in a generous tone, "Speak of which, why not introduce yourselves. We are prisoners within this park so please do tell me about yourselves."

They all felt unease to Maleficent's kind nature, especially Finn. He had just seen Sleeping Beauty and he found it hard to fit that Maleficent with the one he was seeing before him. "Why are you acting like this?"

"What do you mean" she asked.

"Why are you being so calm with us? Aren't you kind of...distant or...someone who doesn't like kids?"

"Well I'm aware that you children are born with more knowledge in this decade than what your parents had for their whole life; so I know you're not completely foolish. But it may come to your surprise that I somewhat respect children."

"Why's that" Finn asked.

"Because children better understand what evil is. They don't question evil's motives. They don't redefined evil as tragedy. And above all else they don't try to paint it as something to love and care for."

Leaning slight forwards she continued saying, "They see evil for what it is and know when to be afraid. That is worthy of my respect."

Finn now wished he didn't asked.

"But do tell me about yourselves" she said resting her head on her hand in a manner of both curiosity and seduction. "I'm curious to know."

Despite admitting they loved Maleficent as a villain, the girls like their friends felt weary about what to say to her. Wayne had warn them about her but now that they were in front of Maleficent they didn't know if they should be curious or afraid of their situation. Unfortunately for them, she could see their disbelief.

"Alright then; I guess I'll have to ask you to tell me three things, seeing that you won't share anything with me. First tell me your real name. Secondly, tell me something about yourself. And thirdly what am I to you."

She was about to pick a DHI to start off with until Maybeck said, "Well I don't know about you but what do you know look at the time." He pulled his Artemis to show that it was now 2:06 A.M. "I think we'll call it a night. Got some school tomorrow." He then got up from the middle of the couch and walked away fast as he said, "Well it's been nice meeting you."

Just before he was about to exit the pallor and be out of site, Maleficent spoke out loud in a quiet yet dominant voice, "Boy get back here."

Maybeck froze surprise to how demanding her tone was. "We can't stay here forever, we got to go home."

"Stay here forever?" Maleficent smiled in glees as she pulled something from out of her long black robe. "Yes you can." She opened the palm of her hand to reveal the Return flob. "Ask yourself this; how will you wake up from your slumber if I crush this remote?"

 _Oh shit_. A thought that shot through all five of their heads.

"Now if you want to go home then you'll do as I say and introduce yourselves formally and with honesty. Do you understand?"

Finn, Philby, Charlene, and Willa turn their heads to Maybeck behind him who then walked back towards them and sat back on the couch.

"That's what I thought" Maleficent said putting the Return remote back in her robe. She then turned her head to Willa. "Let's start with you."

Willa's body tensed with her shy nature and said, "Umm...well..."

She pondered her mind figuring out what to say next till Maleficent spoke out. "I heard you're a fan of me."

The DHI's looked to Maleficent surprised that she knew that then turned to Willa who said, "How do you know that?"

"Because I overheard your conversation with Wayne, including you and the companion next to you praising a motion picture that doesn't represent who I am."

Charlene and Willa were now tensed remember back to what Wayne told them. _She will find that offensive._

"I..." Willa stumbled, "I didn't mean to say that."

"Don't lie to me!" Maleficent's high voice brought everyone to a stand still. She then pulled out the Return flob and said, "Now I'm going to ask you a few questions and you better respond with honesty. If I don't believe your being truthful I'll crush this. Are we clear?"

Willa quickly got her act together and responded "Yes."

Maleficent then quickly said, "Do you like that movie?"

Without hesitation Willa quickly said, "Yes."

"Do you find comfort from it?"

"Yes."

"Do you love those who also find comfort in it?

"Yes."

"Do you love those who made it?"

"Well...I guess."

"And just why is that?"

A silence filled the room as Willa didn't know how to respond to that question. Being agitated Maleficent hand started to slowly crush the remote. "Answer the question."

"Because I like it" Willa said rapidly feeling the burden of stress build up.

Maleficent took a deep breath trying to restrain herself from expressing her true emotions. "Because you like it" she repeated Willa's words quietly. She stayed silent for a moment before she suddenly burst into a hysterical laughter. A laughter that made all the DHI's holograms turn solid in a sense of fear. Getting control of herself Maleficent said, "Well at least I know your honest now." She calmed completely when she continued, "What is your name?"

"It's...Willa" she said, not wanting to say her full name.

"Your real name" Maleficent clarified. "First, middle, and last."

So much for that idea. "It's Isabella Angelo."

"Well then, welcome to my domain Angelo" she bowed her head in a formal gesture and spoke in a surprisingly welcoming tone. "Tell me something about yourself"

For Willa this was a topic that was relieving. While she had to say something, Maleficent didn't say how much or how detailed. "Well I'm an artist. I can draw with both my hands and I like animation."

"Interesting" Maleficent said in curiosity. "And what am I to you?"

"You're my favorite Disney Villain" Willa replied, "I draw you a lot in my sketchbooks and I like your character design."

"Seeing that you're a fan of me, let me ask you this special question." Maleficent then asked; "Do you know anyone by the name of Davis?"

"Davis?" Willa found her question confusing. "No I don't know who you're talking about."

Maleficent gave a small chuckle before it quickly died out and she pace palmed herself in what could be described as agitation. Finn, Philby, Maybeck, Charlene, and Willa all looked to each other not knowing what was going on in Maleficent's head. Finn then asked her, "Is something wrong with..."

"Be quiet" Maleficent said rapidly and faintly, "I need to process what your friend there just said."

Everyone turned to Willa, who was now in shock; not knowing if what she said offended Maleficent.

Taking a deep breath Maleficent restored her postured and said with a smile, "Well then Angelo it's nice to meet you."

Willa found her words surprising. "So you're not offended?"

"Not yet I'm not. However, it would be best for your arms to look back at what you said."

Willa had no idea what she meant by that. "Uh...okay?"

Maleficent then turned to Charlene and asked, "And now there's you."

Charlene's fist clenched on her laps, preparing herself after witnessing how Maleficent treated Willa.

"Seeing that you and Angelo enjoy the same film, might I ask if you enjoyed it to the same degree?"

Charlene responded, "No. It's just another Disney movie that I like."

Maleficent stayed quite momentarily, probably waiting for Charlene to say more, but she didn't. "Very well. So tell me your name girl." She again pulled out the Return flob, "And remember, your true name and no lies."

Charlene knew she had no say on the matter. "Okay. I'm Charlene Turner."

"Nice to meet you Turner" Maleficent nodded her head in a manor of respect. "Please tell me more about yourself."

"Well I'm... good at acrobats and...physical endurance" she said wondering if that would be enough for Maleficent.

She was. Putting down the Return flob Maleficent then asked, "And what am I to you?"

"You mean what do I think of you?"

"Yes" she clarified.

Once again Charlene thought hard of what to say next. "Well I think you're a good villain."

"And just what is a good villain to you" Maleficent asked rapidly in a tone of demand.

"Well... you do evil things to heroes and look good while doing it."

After taking a deep breath Maleficent said, "Is that it?"

"What?"

"Is that all you have to explain on what makes a villain?"

"Well what more do you want me to say?"

"You could talk about my actions? You could talk about how they shape the world? Or you could compare my actions to others such evils?"

Charlene found her questions ridiculous because she was contrasting fiction to reality. But then Maleficent asked, "Pretending what I did in my story was real, could you come to understand why I would target a young child?"

"What?"

"Forgetting all that you've been told, why do you think I would target a child? Again, for the sake of this question let's pretend that my story was real?"

"Umm...well..." Charlene contemplated what to say. "You curse the kid because don't like being left out?"

"That's incorrect" Maleficent quickly replied. "Answer the question again."

After a moment of thinking, Charlene answered once again. "You want to get revenge on someone."

"No. Answer again" Maleficent said once more.

"You want to take over people with force?"

"No" she said once more in a heavy voice.

"You do it for a cause?"

"NO. "Her voice rose in agitation.

Not wanting to hit a nerve with Maleficent, Charlene laid back and gave up. "Well I don't know."

"And why is that" she asked.

"I just don't know. If you take your anger out on a kid, and it's not because of what I listed, then all I can say is that it's not natural."

After a moment of silence filled the room with Maleficent only looking at Charlene with discontent. "Do you live in this country?"

Charlene was surprise by the random question."What?"

"Do you live in this country" Maleficent repeated herself.

"Yes."

Maleficent lean forward to say, "You mean to tell me you lived on this land your whole life and your think that taking anger out on children isn't natural?"

Charlene didn't replied; not understanding what she was asking of her.

Resting herself back into position, Maleficent forced a small smile and said, " Well then Turner I find your complements to my evil actions quite amusing."

Finding her sudden change in tone discomforting Charlene's only reply was one with confusion. "Umm...okay?"

Maleficent then turned to Maybeck, looking straight forward to ask, "And who might you be young man?"

Knowing all eyes were on him, Maybeck decided to hide his unease with the one thing he did best. "Your friendly neighbor, Spider-Man."

While the DHIs held back on their glee Maleficent only looked at him in a stoic expression. "There's no need to make a fool of yourself. Have some manors and introduce yourself properly."

"Sorry horn lady..."

"Maleficent" she said in slight anger through her teeth.

"Maleficent" Maybeck said in respects, seeing that he clearly wasn't getting along with her. "I don't know why you want to know our full name but I'm not giving you mine."

"And why not" she asked.

"Well..." said Maybeck, "You could learn about us, find out who we're related to, and even where we live."

"And why the hell would I want to learn about you, your relatives, or your home?"

"I don't know, but I don't like it." He crossed his arms in defiance and said, "Sorry, but you'll just have to call me Donnie."

"Okay then Donnie" Maleficent pulled the Return flob out, "Let me remind you that you promised to follow the rules that I gave you and one of those rules is to do as I say."

Maybeck's confidence started to erode as she continued to speak.

"Let me remind you that you are guests in my domain but if you break the rules that I state then you will no longer be a guest. You will be an intruder and believe me when I say you don't want to be a trespasser on my land."

She then started to compress her hand and the Return flob started to crack under the pressure. "Now be a good boy and tell me your real name or you'll never wake up again."

Afraid she would really crush the remote Maybeck rapidly said, "Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's Terrance. Terrance Maybeck."

Satisfied that he was back in line, Maleficent nodded her head in respect once more and returned back to her calm voice. "Well then Maybeck, tell me something about yourself."

"Something about myself" he whispered quietly as he rubbed his hands together. "Well I can sing."

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity Maleficent asked, "Really?"

"Yup."

"Opera?"

"Oh hell no. That's a whole other level for me. I'm just sing simple rock and pop."

"Oh" Maleficent said in dissatisfaction. "A shame. For a moment there I was about to give you an ounce of respect."

"Well I liked to see you try."

Maleficent took no offense. "Now what do you think of me?"

"What do I think of you" Maybeck repeated her question. "Well…I don't know?"

"Is that so" she said. "You really don't know what to make of me?"

"Nope" Maybeck replied rapidly being uncaring for his response.

"Well if that is the case then has there ever been a question you've wanted to ask to me" she asked, curious to what he would say.

Taking a moment to search is mind, Maybeck snapped his fingers. "Actually, there is one thing I've always wanting to ask you."

Pointing his finger towards her and speaking in the voice of a little kid. "DOES IT SUCK HAVING HORNS GROW OUT OF YOUR HEAD?!"

Finn, Charlene, Willa, and Philby all looked to him in disbelief that he would ask such a ridiculous question. But they were more concerned about Maleficent, who was only looking directly at Maybeck. Her stare into his eyes made Maybeck's tone change from comical to troublesome. She clearly didn't see this as a funny question. Yet instead of an angry reply, she did something none of them expected.

Slamming the Return flob on the table next to her, Maleficent got up from her chair and took off her black robes; revealing a light sleeveless dress. She then snapped her fingers which made the leather straps covering her horns to unwrap and reveal her black raven hair. The straps that cover her head and neck then wrapped magically around her forearms and biceps. Closing her eyes to focus on an internal force; the horns on the side of her temple started to evaporate slowly into black mist. The silver bracelets that were once on her horns were now in the strains of her hair.

The horned fairy they meet then was now a ravishing woman dressed in black attire.

Finn looked at Maleficent's human look with an uncanny feeling. Maleficent's openly waved black hair, pale skin, and gothic cloths reminded him of Jezebel back at school.

"I assume that I'm less frightening when I look like this" she asked the DHIs.

"Less frightening" Willa said in disbelief, "You look beautiful."

"There's no need to say what I already know" Maleficent replied as she turned to Maybeck. "To answer your ridiculous question, at times it does bother me. Thankfully I don't use my magic all the time."

Maybeck stood only silent, still gazing at Maleficent's human form. The snap of her fingers broke his trance. "Well...um...that's good to know." Before Maleficent turned to Philby Maybeck continued saying, "You know you remind me of someone?"

She turned to him and said, "If you're going to compare me to anyone who portrayed me in entertainment I don't want to hear it."

Maybeck had no idea what she was talking about. "Well I don't know about that but I feel like I've meet someone that looks like you."

"Interesting" she said, turning to Philby. "Now who are you?"

"Well...ma'am" Philby looked to the table next to her where the Return flob was. It may not be in her hand but none the less she had the upper hand. "My name is Dell. Dell Philby."

"It's nice to meet you Philby" she said bowing her head in the same manner as she did for Willa, Charlene, and Maybeck. "And what do you have to share with me?"

"Well I'm smart."

"Is that so" she wondered. "Tell me then, what is evil?"

"What?" Philby was taken by surprise by one of her random questions.

"If you want to prove your intelligence to me, you'll tell me what the nature of evil is?"

Finn spoke in Philby's defense, "Don't you think you're asking him at little too complicated."

"Complicated?" She turned to Finn, "No. The answer is in fact very simple."

Philby took Maleficent's question as a challenge. "So you're asking me why people do evil things right?"

"That's correct."

The answer to such a basic question came to Philby naturally. "Well if that's the case people do evil things either because they want attention, do it out of hatred, or their just insane."

Maleficent merely gave a sigh of disappointment followed by shaking her head slowly. "Apparently you're not as intelligent as I would have hoped."

Philby didn't take lightly to her comment. "Okay then what's the answer?"

"And why should I tell you that" she asked in an aggressive tone. Something Philby decided to ignore.

"Well if the answer is so simple, like you said earlier, then why don't you enlighten us?"

Maleficent merely gave a chuckle to the boy's stubborn nature. "I'm not going to tell you because your narrow mind wouldn't be able to comprehend it."

"Try me" Philby said defiantly.

Seeing that he was pushing things too far Finn, sitting next to Philby, said "Come on Dell, let it go."

"NO" Philby replied loudly. "Come on, don't tell me you haven't catch on to what she is doing. She's psychoanalyzing all of us."

This caught the attention of Maybeck, Charlene, and Willa. Except for Maleficent who said in a complementary manor, "Smart boy. How did you know?"

Now everyone's focus was on Maleficent as Philby replied, "You're asking us about ourselves and want us to give vague responses to what we think of you. You're trying to categorize us for something. I don't what but it's something."

Maleficent gave a wide smile, revealing her crystal white teeth. "I'm impressed. Maybe you're not as idiotic as I believed."

Giving that response, everyone knew that Philby was right.

"What are you picking us for" Charlene asked.

"That you'll have to wait till I get to your last companion" Maleficent responded, "But your friend Philby hasn't shared what he thinks of me."

Philby was amazed that she was still continuing on. He decided to give whatever response that would lead her to think little of him. "I don't care about you."

"Why's that" she asked as she caressed her hair over her shoulder in an innuendo like manor. "I'm I not interesting enough for you?"

Seeing that she was playing with him, Philby replied in a defensive manor "I'm not interested in you because I don't find your character interesting. I'm not going to ask you anything like Maybeck because I don't want to know anything about you. I like Disney but you're not my favorite Disney villain let alone character."

Resting her head upon her hand Maleficent then ask, "So what do you know of me?"

"I know your a Disney Villain, that's obvious. I know you transform into a dragon. I know you like dark magic. Apart from that I don't know any more."

"Have you seen my film?"

"You mean the one where you have bird wings?

"NOT THAT ONE" she said in anger, not moving an inch from her stance.

Philby knew what she meant, "You means Sleeping Beauty. Only saw it once on TV. Found it boring. As for the 'other' movie, never watched it at all."

Having heard that, Maleficent's once aggressive stance lightened as burst out into a maniac laughter. All of them felt uncomfortable to her sudden burst of activity, but not as much as Philby whose idea of neutralization may have made things worse for him. Getting control of herself, she said, "I rescind what I said about you Philby. You're not smart you're a genius."

Finding her compliment odd Philby ask, "Why?"

"Because you decided not to see a movie that disrespected me. For that statement alone I congratulate you."

"Uh...sure" Philby said with uncertainty. "Whatever you say."

Feeling that she learned enough about Philby, all that was left for Maleficent to dissect was the young boy with brown hair.

"And you?"

Finn stiffened up as the evil fairy now looked upon him. He knew that she was examining him but on the other hand she did have their only means of going home. Seeing that she wasn't a fool, Finn gave her his name despite not wanting to share it. "It's Lawrence Finnegan Whitman. Or Finn for short."

"Well then welcome Whitman" she nodded her head in respect, "Ignoring what your red head friend next to you said, what do you wish to tell about yourself?"

 _Oh not this question again_ Finn thought to himself. "Well...to be honest I don't really know what to say."

"Come now" she said with in a generous manor, "Surely there must be something about yourself that differs you from the rest."

After a few seconds of silence Finn couldn't think of anything. "I don't know. I wish I could say something but I don't know. I'm not a genius like Philby, a talented guy like Maybeck, a athlete like Charlene, or an artist like Willa. All I do is just go to school, play games online, see news on the internet, and listen to music on my phone."

Maleficent had expected more from the boy, but seeing that was all he had to say she then said, "Well thank you for supporting your friend's words. At least I know now that they weren't lying to me."

Finn felt stupid for saying what he said earlier, but the others didn't look at him with scorn. In fact they were alright that he complemented them on who they were.

Maleficent continued saying, "Now what do you think of me Whitman?"

Naturally Finn would say she was his favorite Disney Villain because of her character design, but after seeing Sleeping Beauty earlier he decided to say what would satisfy Maleficent the most.

"You're the Mistress of All Evil. That's what you are to me."

Surprised by response Maleficent then asked, "And what is the Mistress of All Evil to you?"

"Well you're..." Finn said picking his words carefully. "Evil incarnate. Someone who... shows no mercy. And who... does it to everyone around her... no matter who they are."

After a few seconds, Maleficent to everyone's surprise applauded to Finn's words. "Well said Whitman. You could have shown more flare but I accept what have to say about me."

"Uh...thanks I guess" Finn said.

"And to show my satisfaction" Maleficent continued, "I'm bestowing you as the leader of your group."

"What" Finn asked in shock?

"What" Philby next to him said in disbelief?

"What" Maybeck, Charlene, and Willa said in unity?

"That's right." Maleficent clarified her statement, "You were right Philby when I was examining all of you. I was testing you all to see who would be the leader of your group to find Walt Disney's pen for me and Whitman here passed my test."

"But why" Finn asked. "You heard the others and what they had to share. So why me?"

"Because if I had to work with any other of your companions I would kill them under the normal circumstances."

The word 'kill' made everyone freeze as Maleficent continued.

"I was testing you to see your characters and I know enough." With her head and eyes locked on Finn she pointed out the other DHIs one by one.

"You see I'm choosing you because my other options are not so satisfying."

She pointed her finger to Willa, "I have are an ignorant fool who has no what she's talking about."

Then Charlene. "An oblivious simpleton who knows nothing about reality."

Then Maybeck. "A clown who can't take anything serious."

And lastly Philby. "And a nerd who is more intelligent than what I'm comfortable with."

All four of them were surprise by Maleficent's sudden insults as she rested her hand, continuing to talk to Finn. "You on the other hand know exactly who I am and don't have a personality I can judge. Well if you don't know who you are, I'll tell you what you are, and what you are is the leader of your group."

Finn looked to the others for guidance, but all they had to offer were expressions of uncertainty. They too were surprise by what was happening and like Finn had no idea of how to respond. Seeing that there was nothing more to say he said, "Okay, then. I'm the leader of the group."

"Good" Maleficent said, "Now that you're the leader, you and you alone will be responsible for the rest of your friends and what you all will do for Whitman is to help him find the clues to this mystery that Wayne wants you to solve. Is that clear?"

With no other option they all nodded in agreement.

"Fantastic" she said returning her attention to Finn. "Now that we all come to know each other, I just have one question to ask before I let you go home."

They all listened in to what she had to say.

"Have you found a clue yet?"

Wanting to get out of the situation Finn asked, "If I tell you will you let us go home?"

"I will" Maleficent responded.

Giving a sigh Finn said, "Alright. We found a clue at the Walt and Mickey statue below. We found it with this." Finn pulled out his Artemis system from his forearm to show Maleficent.

The Artemis caught Maleficent's attention. She knew for certain it was a built-in system made by Wayne, which was a good thing for her. She then had an idea. Lifting one of her hands with her palmed open and fingers spread out, a green light surrounded it as something started to form. To everyone's surprise it was a tablet, like a large smartphone.

Putting the tablet on the table in front of her she said to Finn, "Put your hand on the tablet and think back to when you found the clue."

Being nervous to the odd request, Finn did exactly what she said and remembered back to where he found the clue. To his amazement, the tablet showed his point of view on his recollection. It was as if the tablet was recording his mind. When he thought of the clue the tablet froze on an image of the base of the statue with the odd lines revealed by the Artemis scanner.

After lifting his hand the image remained on the tablet and Maleficent picked it up to examine what he saw. After a moment of staring at the tablet, Maleficent put it down and said, "I have to see this for myself."

Loosening the leather straps around her arms, Maleficent unconsciously tapped into her dark magic and the black mist appeared once more. As she grabbed her black robe that was on the floor, the leather straps uncoiled around her arm and started to wrap themselves over her hair and around the black mist, which was slowly forming her demonic horns.

As she dressed herself she said, "I'll be back momentarily. Once I return, I'll give you the remote and you will go home. So don't leave this room till then."

After grabbing the Return flob, green flames began to form around Maleficent's body. She then disintegrated into a small green will-o-the wisp which after condensing into a small green speck exploded into a shockwave that shook the room. Finn had seen her do that in Sleeping Beauty and so she must have teleported.

All of them waited for Maleficent to return and as time went by they tried to wrap their minds about what happened. This Maleficent was very different than any they've seen before and that is what was most troublesome. They didn't know for sure if she was in fact real or something else of Wayne's creation. He made the DHI holograms so what was to say he couldn't make something more advance. Eventually Wayne's words of caution started to come back to their recollection and all the warnings they had towards Maleficent were now starting to have meaning.

Before Finn knew it, Charlene had gotten up and hit him in the shoulder with force.

"What was that for" he asked her.

"For being an idiot. You just told her how to find the pen!"

"Yeah" Maybeck got up and added, "Why did you tell her about that?"

"Well it wasn't like I had a choice" Finn said in his defense. "She had the Return remote and she might have crushed it if she didn't believe me."

"I'm with you on that mate" Philby said as he got up and picked up the cup which Maleficent drank from earlier. "But aren't we all forgetting that SHE'S NOT A HOLOGRAM! Have you all lose track of that?!"

"Well she can't be real right" Willa asked.

"I don't know" Philby responded to her, "You couldn't swallow that water earlier but she could and that is what really bothers me."

"Everyone chill" Finn said out loud, "I know she's scary in what she does, but come on there's nothing really to worry about."

All of them look to Finn in disbelief. Seeing that he continued saying, "Even if she is real, we know things she doesn't. Our holograms would protect us from any of her 'spells' assuming she has any and if we wanted we could just run."

"I don't know about that" Maybeck said as he got up and smacked his fist in his hand. "I say we just beat the crap out of her. She can call me a clown any day of the year but I don't like it that she just insults all you guys. If you ask me I say we should give her a lesson in manors."

Before they knew it, a green flash exploded in the room and Maleficent was standing behind them, more specifically Maybeck. Curious to why all of them were standing she asked, "Were you all thinking of leaving."

Turning to face her, Maybeck was surprise to see that his eyes weren't on Maleficent's face but her chest. Looking up Maybeck's eyes locked with Maleficent's as she looked down upon him; a scene that Charlene, Willa, Philby, and Finn were stunned to see. Maybeck was the tallest in the group, but Maleficent towered over him being at least two heads taller. Three heads if they were to include her demonic horns. Maybeck for the first time found himself scared of the evil fairy not just because she was taller than him but because of eyes. He was so close to her that he could see that her eyes were yellow and diamond like that of a serpent.

"Uh…no. We were just…" Maybeck said nervously as he slightly waved his finger to the others, "Talking about you…that's all."

Maleficent looked to the others before returning her attention to Maybeck. "Well I'm glad to hear that. Now please sit down. I have a small thing to say before I let you all go home."

Everyone did what she said and sat back down where they once were quickly.

After taking a deep breath she look to all 5 of the DHIs and said, "You're no longer solving this mystery for Wayne. You all work for me now. You will search for the clues to this Stonecutter's Quill mystery, you will find these clues, and you will tell me were these clues are."

She pulled out the tablet from before and looked to Finn. "Since you're the leader of your group Whitman, every night you cross over, you will record your memories on this tablet and if I don't believe you and your friends are making progress, then I'll have to find alternative means of motivation for all of you."

They all didn't like the sound of that.

"So if you do what I say, if you follow the rules I've given you, and you help me find this pen; I promise that you will return home."

The DHIs continued to stay silent not trusting her word. She could easily see that through them. Perhaps a less intense persuasive manor was necessary.

"I know how you all are feeling. That you don't trust my word or feel at ease with me being in control. But despite what I've said earlier, I don't want to kill you kids. I want to be clear on that. I want you to help me and that can't happen if I make you my enemy now can it?" She continued saying, "As much as I don't want to work with all of you, you're the only ones that can help me be free of this place and so I have to find some way to coexist with all five of you regardless of my dismay."

The kids only looked at her with stoic expressions. Clearly she wasn't getting to them.

Maleficent then gave a large sigh. "You think I'm a trickster like Wayne, forcing you to do things my way. That isn't the truth. It doesn't matter if you search for Walt's pen for me or Wayne, what does matter is that you go home safe and sound. I'm not the one endangering your lives nor do I have any interests to do so. I'm sure Wayne promised you that he would do everything to ensure your safety but I'm here to tell you that was a lie."

The five took her words to heart as Wayne did say that during their time in Los Angeles.

"Wayne promised me many things in the past and each one of them was a lie. That is why I'm here and that is why you are here."

She took out the Return remote from her robes. "Lawrence, Dell, Terrance, Charlene, and Isabella. I'm here to say that unlike Wayne I'm a woman who keeps her promises and never breaks them." Putting the Return flob on the table Maleficent continued. "And I promise you that as long as you show your efforts, then you will endure all of this and go home safely."

Like Wayne, they found Maleficent's tone to be genuine. Only now did the five teenagers find some little ounce of comfort in her words.

"Are we in agreement?"

The DHIs look to each other and through eye contact they silently agreed to the same conclusion. Finn look to Maleficent and said, "Okay."

Standing up, Maleficent said in a joyful tone, "Then it's settled."

"Can we go home now?"

Getting up she responded, "Yes. We are done."

Green flames started to surround her once more, clearly making another teleportation jump, but then the flames suddenly extinguished. The DHIs didn't know why she didn't leave. With her face looking away from the teens and at the stain glass window, Maleficent said "The answer is because they can."

"What" Philby asked to why she would say something so random?

"You wanted to know the answer to why people do evil things and why I do evil things. The simple answer is because they can."

Turning to face them once more she continued. "People may believe that evil is a matter of goals or reasons, but the sad reality is that it's a matter of curiosity."

Looking at Charlene she gave her the answer she couldn't understand. "That is how I came to be and the same could be said for many others. If you all come to accept this answer the world will make a lot more sense."

Green flames surrounded Maleficent once more. "I'll see you all later."

She then teleported out of the Cinderella Suite and the three green wisps that the DHIs had forgotten also disappeared in the same fashion. After the four explosive shockwaves, the room was still with five blue holograms collecting their thoughts. After what had just happened they would normally have gone for the Return remote and go home, but they were still trying to wrap their minds around what had transpire.

The five of them had hit the limit of what their minds could take. Eventually the silence was broken by Maybeck none the less and his statement summed up everything despite using a word that he wasn't supposed to say.

But he said it anyway.

"WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!"

* * *

 **AN: Oh yeah people. After years of censorship Maybeck finally said 'the word he shouldn't have said'.**

 **And here we are, to the main reason why I got interested in the Kingdom Keepers books in the first place. The evil fairy of Sleeping Beauty that is Maleficent. I don't know where to begin when it comes to this character, not just in the Kingdom Keepers but across the Disney lore. When I first heard of the Kingdom Keepers, it was when I was strolling along the Disney Channel and a trailer for Book 5: Shell Game came on and said it was a story of 5 teenage holograms going up against the Disney Villains lead by Maleficent on a cruise ship. To me this was a dream come true. Ever since I was a young kid I wanted to see a story where modern kids go up against the ancient Disney Villains and the main antagonist would be my favorite Disney Villain Maleficent. Yet after reading all the books and even the Return series all I felt was disappointment. I got into the series mainly because of Maleficent but the thing was the story didn't really care about Maleficent. Instead of being this representation of evil and the most sinister of Disney characters, she is reduce to a plot device and is drawn way out of character that she shares no resemblance to her 1959 counterpart. After reading how much the book series disrespected the character, I made it my Disney fandom mission to find a Maleficent character that would fit perfectly in the 21st century setting. My goal was to create a Maleficent character that could fit perfectly into the continuity of Sleeping Beauty, be a complex character, have a backstory that isn't cliché, but most importantly of all was to make her a symbol of evil that represents our real life evils. After reading many fan fictions both on Sleeping Beauty and The Kingdom Keepers, I found the elements necessary to make a Maleficent worthy of this reboot. However, I'm sure this introduction to her character is a little weak as there isn't much fear into the DHIs interacting with her. I feel this is the case, and you can review me on this, but here is why I think this was this introduction to Maleficent may be weak.**

 **1: The Modern World Setting: The most obvious reason why the DHIs aren't completely fearful of Maleficent is that this story and the Kingdom Keeper story takes place in 21st century America. For the life of me I don't know why this aspect to the story is completely ignored and the entire mythology and logic to the series is confided only to the Disney parks. There is a world beyond Disney World. The DHIs have technology and the modern world on their side, so it wouldn't be surprising if they meet a real life Disney Villain and not be afraid. If we really did see an evil fairy with demonic looking horns what do you think modern kids would think? That's right. They would find a gun and shoot her. Speaking of which, WHY DON'T THE KEEPERS USE GUNS?! This is America and these American teenagers NEVER once in the series though of using guns on their enemies? Do you all remember The Syndrome short novel, yeah how the hell during that home invasion part did the characters not use guns to take down the Overtaker kids? I rest my case.**

 **2: The 'Modern' Maleficent isn't Maleficent: If the modern setting wasn't enough to give a reason why the Keepers don't find Maleficent scary, the 2nd and more realistic reason is that by 2019 Maleficent will not be seen as a villain. I believed once that the Kingdom Keepers was very disrespectful to Maleficent's character, but little did I know that Ridley Pearson's Maleficent would be more respectful to the Maleficent I grew up with than the 2014 live action movie would be. I'm a huge Maleficent fan but I despise the 2014 live action film with a hatred that is unmatched by many, not because of it's cliché choices, or it's separation of the source material, but how much people actually love it! All I can really say is that it's absolutely ridiculous that Maleficent fans and Disney fans can say this cliché story was worthy of the character all because it just makes people happy. This bandwagon effect has stretched on ever since then. In books, television, and other Disney outlets Maleficent has been reduce to either a stereotypical plot device or a tragic figure that has some hope of redemption. I've talked with many authors across fan fiction and they all support this tragedy direction for Maleficent which only brings dispiritedness to my heart. I know I'm going off on a tangent here, but I have to share this because Maleficent is the reason why I became a Kingdom Keepers fan. As much as I am a KK fan I'm also a Maleficent fan and it's going to be so hard for me in the coming years if not decades to see people use Maleficent as this symbolism of feminist empowerment or motherhood love or a tragic figure instead of the Mistress of All Evil or this embodiment of a harsh aspect of reality. But getting back to Project DHI, by the time 2019 has come around no one will see Maleficent as this character to be afraid of. Maleficent may be Disney's greatest villain but after so many years Disney doesn't treat her as such. This is reflected by the character and so the fear factor of Maleficent is gone from the perspective of our protagonists.**

 **3: Maleficent isn't the talkative type: Not really tying into why the DHIs are fearful of Maleficent, but more around why Maleficent conversation with them does feel right; that reason being is that Maleficent since her creation in 1959 wasn't suppose to be an interactive character. No seriously, go get the Sleeping Beauty Diamond Edition, check it out. In a short segment on the making of Sleeping Beauty, the animator who drew her, Marc Davis, said in an interview that Maleficent was more of a character of speeches and monologue not so much of interacting with other characters; which is why they gave her a pet raven in the film to talk to. That's a little bit of history I wanted to share with you all being a Maleficent fan, but the point is that it is REALLY difficult to make a story where Maleficent talks to many characters and to do it in a present day setting. Having read many fan fictions, having Maleficent talk with 1 character is fantastic and her limit can go as high as 4, but in the Kingdom Keepers she must interact with 5 CHARACTERS constantly and they are character in 21st century USA. These means that fantasy fear factor that other fan fictions carry is gone and so it must be built up and earned. In a fantasy setting she is a force of nature, but here she is merely a cartoon to a kids movie; and trying to make her a force of nature in such a setting isn't easy and I have yet to see an author on fan fiction do this.**

 **Those are a few talking points I wanted to share with you all, but I might as well give a quick summation of how I made this chapter. In the books the Keepers first meet Maleficent in the Indian tepee encampments at the far end of the park and it was a rather quick introduction that leaned more towards horror. For me I thought the meeting place with their greatest enemy at a Indian camp was weak and Maleficent's raspy old character was a far cry from the elegant and seductive fairy I know from Sleeping Beauty. Here I wanted her to meet the Keepers in a setting that fits her character, like a castle and instead of just making enemies of the Keepers she tries to find a way to make them work for her. After all if it weren't for the Keepers she wouldn't have found Walt's pen in the first book. As for her looks, Ridley Pearson's choice of making her this green skin raspy old hag was way out of character for Maleficent, but then again Disney's making her into a harpy was worse. So here I based her on her original design with a few changes. She has pale skin not green skin. After consideration of weather or not she should have horns or a normal head I decide to do both. She has horns but only when she is using dark magic, and she has a normal looking head but only when she isn't using strong magic. As for her wardrobe, yes she has modern attire in combination with her classical fantasy look and there will be more of that in future chapters.**

 **There is so much more I want to talk about when it comes to Maleficent but I'll have more to say as the story goes on. For this chapter I want to hear from you guys what you think? Make no mistakes I want to make this whole story as great as possible but I want to hear what you think of Maleficent and what I can do to make her the greatest Disney Villain ever. I want to give the Kingdom Keepers the villain they deserve and I can only do that with your feedback. So anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this latest chapter. Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think.**

 **Tune in for the next chapter which was added into the story because of reviewer feedbacks. Tying back to Princess Maker's review shout out, I'm glad you brought up the topic of Finn's father collecting guns because in the next chapter: SPEAKING OF GUNS...**


	10. Chapter 10: The Intruders

**AN: Hello everyone, this is Proto back from the real world. I can't begin to express how much has gone on over here and I can only imagine how bad this long break of silence must be for all you Kingdom Keeper fans out there. I hope you manage to read the final book in the Return series as I have and it's now official people, the Kingdom Keepers series is over. Ten books, an online novella, and a spin off later the story of the Kingdom Keepers series end and now it's up to us the fans to keep it alive in our imaginations. Having read all the stories, for me this has been a crazy roller coaster that has had it's small moments of thrills but for the most part was a slow ride that never seemed to end. I know there are many who love the Kingdom Keepers series as it is, but for me I've always wanted to see it blossom into something more; something that could capture the imaginations of both Disney and non-Disney fans alike. While the story may be over for Pearson, it begins for me and for all Kingdom Keepers fan fiction writers on the net. Through this reboot of the Kingdom Keepers series, I hope in keeping the characters we grown love to continue to live on and to give them an epic tale that is worthy of their awesomeness in the Disney Universe. I hope others will follow my example with Project DHI and make their own fan reboots of the series or instead to continue the Keeper's journey as adults in their own fandom series. For all Kingdom Keepers fans out there, I have something to say and that is this: always be curious to what happens at Disney when the lights go out.**

 **Now as always a few comments on to how the last chapter was received.**

 **Life's-For-Living: I'm very please that you like this story's Maleficent. If you think she was fine in chapter 9, just wait for future chapters that will add more to her character than the entire Kingdom Keepers series books combined and might I dare say it more than any Kingdom Keeper fan fiction I've read. I'm actually surprised to how very little KK fans have towards Maleficent as a main antagonist because for the most part in the books she really is the bare bones generic bad guy with the same nonsensical reasoning to her actions; that being she wants to destroy Disney because 'evil'. As for me bring up her live-action film too much, I hear you and I admit that I'm guilty on that. I'm sure those points in the last chapter were a buzzkill moment for many readers and I can see why, but I might as well explain why I decided to keep those meta moments in the chapter. The first and most obvious from the author's notes is the Maleficent fan in me was venting the internal hellfire of not having a good Maleficent story in years. The second is that Maleficent hasn't been in a Kingdom Keepers story since KK6: Dark Passages and her 'abomination' stand in conjured by Tia Dalma doesn't count. So yeah with Maleficent in the books dead in 2013, a film that does her the greatest disservice being out in 2014, and having 4 books in the series without her; yeah I need a Kingdom Keeper Maleficent that knows what the hells gone on for the last couple years. The third is that this forth-wall aspect to the story is known in both the KK books and KK fan fictions. I mean the first book I remember mentions Miss Congeniality and Sandra Bullock in a simple conversation, the Syndrome book mentions the 2014 live-action film constantly, and throughout the series there are constant mentions of characters from other books like Harry Potter. Yeah one book mentions another greater book! So in a way it's normal for a story like this to break the fourth wall and I'm sure the original Maleficent would be disgusted by what everyone has done to her in the last 60 years. Unfortunately there will be more moments like this in the future because it serves as a key element to Maleficent's character and motivations, but it's not a matter of personal dignity or pride. It's something close to her heart and that's all I can say. But I hear you and I will try to keep those moment in future chapters as short as possible and not too mean-spirited to readers who like the hero version of Maleficent.**

 **The Princess Maker: I guess I surprised you with this Maleficent not being bombastic and angry as most KK fans make her to be. Although in the VERY EARLY rough drafts of Project DHI their first contact was suppose to be in the Indian Teepee and her character mostly resembled a person with anger management issues, but having seen people with anger management I can say that would have been real aggravating to readers and would have gotton old fast. Years and many Maleficent/Sleeping Beauty fan fictions later I decided to create a Maleficent that held elegance and evil in balance instead of the generic bad guy the KK series offered. I'm glad to see I'm not alone in not like Disney's choice to making Maleficent a hero, but this Maleficent later on in the next chapter will explain why we tend to make evil more 'human' instead of seeing it for what it is.**

 **Gracekim1: I'm happy to hear that you loved the first chapter as well as the changes in this reboot story compared to the KK books. Yes I gave Finn's younger sister a name and she isn't named in the books at all. Amanda IS in this reboot series, just not in this installment because there are too many characters to juggle around. If you like what I'm doing with Jezebel just wait as the story goes on, it's going to be good. As for the Artemis system being apart of their holograms, yeah that should have been apart of them in the book series instead of this DHI version 1.6 or 2.0 that really makes no difference. As for asking me to be a beta-reader to help me on my grammar; YES! If I can I'll find a way so that you can help me with my mistakes on grammar as I don't really have anyone proof read my story apart from myself. Thanks grace and I hope you enjoy reading the rest of the story.**

 **FairlieForever: If you are reading this FairlieForever, then I have heard your review and I'm sorry to hear the story didn't work out for you because of the language which is in all respects odd because apart from Maybeck dropping the 'f' word once, the cursing in Project DHI is not too vulgar and at least to me is okay for a T rating. If you happen to read this all I can say is give the story time because there is ALOT of stuff you don't want to miss in this reboot, ESPECIALLY when it comes to the Fairlies. You will see a hint of that in this chapter.**

 **Before I start with the next chapter, I like to say to all readers of this story that it's okay to critique Project DHI. In order for this story to retain it's foundations to the Kingdom Keepers series I have to hear from you to see what I'm doing right for KK fans and what I'm doing wrong in general. I hear you when I say that my biggest problem as an author is my grammar and spelling, from which I'm trying my hardest to correct. It's a curse I've bared since elementary school and even to this day it haunts me. If this chapter has some grammar flaws I take the responsibility because I need to get this chapter out fast since it's been a long time since I've given you all a chapter. It may not be the perfect story for all, but that's no excuse to not make it the best story it possible can. I appreciate all your complements and critique for Project DHI and I will continue to hear your words as we continue on this great adventure.**

 **Now then, where was I again on the last chapter? Oh yeah guns?**

* * *

Chapter 10: The Intruders

September 9, 2019 (Mon.)

Undisclosed Location

11:30 P.M.

"On today's late night news protests across Orlando continue after the alleged beating of an immigrant woman from last week has led to public outcry across the state and the nation."

"Overseas, Middle Eastern countries continue their nuclear programs despite warnings from both the U.S. and E.U.; causing mounting tensions that may result in military action."

"On the economy, employment rates continue to drop across the Great Lake regions despite federal deregulations. With their standard-of-living declining, middle Americans may soon be facing a life without a job and a home."

"In the political realm, many celebrities and businessmen including Disney's CEO have decide to put their name on the ballot for the 2020 election."

The plasma screen switched from channel to channel as the evil fairy waited for the DHI teenagers to cross over. Sixty years and she still has the same power over television as she did the day she was born. Although back then American television presented pride and dreams; now it shows only unrest and potential nightmares. To Maleficent this was just a natural stage in a civilization's life cycle. She viewed the creations of many kingdoms in another life and she lived long enough to see them fall from the weakness of their people. When nations die new ones take their place, but the desire for utopia always influences people to ask for more. So many kingdoms gone, so many countries born, and yet all share one thing in common. Discontent.

Thinking back to the day she woke up in California, Maleficent often found it amusing to how scared she was in comparison to her understanding now. After sixty years of learning she had done more than just accept reality, she has become a part of it.

The fact that she is the only thing born from Walt's pen supported this.

Sitting comfortably in her living room and watching the news in her human form, the only thing that was dwelling in her mind was the Stonecutter's Quill. Despite having a clue on how to find the pen, and having heard the DHI's conversation with Wayne, she still couldn't find the remaining clues to the mystery. The standpoints of the Stonecutter's story are a rich man, a prince, the sun, the clouds, and a mountain. Attractions like Big Thunder Mountain and Peter Pan's Flight were easy places to investigate, but there were no clues to be found under her magic. After nearly a week of searching throughout the parks, before and after the DHIs crossed over, Maleficent couldn't find a clue. At that point, she came to a conclusion that gave her dissatisfaction.

She needed the DHIs for her freedom.

To makes matters worse, the kids didn't leave any memory reports as she asked. What was once an optional contingency plan was now a necessary step to find Walt's pen.

Popping suddenly from the corner of the hallway, a green will-o-the-wisp cut around sharply to the living room and loom in front of Maleficent's face.

Maleficent removed the silver bracelets in her hair and spoke to the wisp that was annoying her. "If you're going to tell me the kids are here, do it without blocking my view."

The wisp merely floated, yet Maleficent's tone changed.

"What? What do you mean it's not them?"

If anyone else was in the living room, they would say Maleficent was talking to herself. But she could hear things that no one else could.

Getting up in alarm Maleficent asked desperately, "How many?! Where did you see them?!"

The wisp merely floated in silence.

"Damn it" she whispered, walking out of the living room and down the hall to her bedroom. The wisp informed her that there were intruders inside of the park and if they're planning to cause mayhem then that would interfere with the DHIs attempt to solve the Stonecutter's mystery. That she could not allow.

Tonight wasn't one for theatrics in her black robes, a change in attire was in order.

"Were they armed" Maleficent asked the wisp that floated outside her bedroom. "Okay then, I think something lightweight will do."

She then walk to a large gothic body mirror and gazed upon it, deciding what was necessary to wear. Based on what her wardrobe carried, the mirror showed images of what an outfit would look on her if she wore it, a sort of magic preview of cloths. After a few seconds, Maleficent had choose her outfit and snap her fingers. A black aura exploded from the mirror and wrap itself across every inch of Maleficent's body. Before she knew it, she was wearing a full cat suit with combat boots and a utility belt. If there were only two intruders then an outfit for simple combat would suffice.

The benefit with all her cloths being made of mystical black cotton wasn't only that they could instantly be put on her by the magic mirror, but also that they allowed her to stay cool in the hot Floridian weather. The Fae often used black cotton because it adjusts to the comfort levels of its wearer. If it's hot outside then it would keep the wearer cool and vice versa. Black cotton was a fabric from a mystical plant that only blooms during a full moon and she had many of those growing in the gardens above.

As she knotted her hair back, the wisp that informed her earlier merely floated behind her back.

"I didn't ask for your opinion" she told the wisp that was clearly criticizing her choice of cloths.

Another green wisp passed through her bedroom door to inform Maleficent that the DHIs had crossed over and had entered the utilidor system at Main Street.

"So, their underground" Maleficent said to herself as an idea started to form in her head. If the kids didn't believe she was real, then perhaps there was another way to persuade their belief.

Walking out of the bedroom and to the room across the hall, she gave instructions to the wisps by saying, "Keep an eye on the intruders and if they do anything take whatever action you deem necessary. However don't kill them. I need them to teach a lesson to those children."

In the room there was a large device that served as a magical safe, in which only a single person could access it by a hand imprint. Forming a black substance through a magic incantation, Maleficent stretched this substance across her hand as if she was putting on a latex glove. After tightening around her hand, she placed it on a panel of the safe and the substance melted away. The safe then opened and a vertical rack rose from a pool of black water to reveal the secured items. Looking down at the lower rack, beneath Wayne's gift, was the weapon she needed for the night.

 _Maybe using this will persuade them._

* * *

On the waters of Bay Lake

East of Space Mountain, The Magic Kingdom

11:35 P.M.

On the dark waters of Seven Seas Lagoon, two men paddle their small boat silently under the silence of night. The moon gave the only illumination on the creasing waves of the lake as the boat was approaching its destination on the swampy shore near Space Mountain.

The two men were dressed in black and wore black masks over their heads to hind their identity and to blend in with the night. It was no lie that they carried a feeling of uneasiness as they paddled across the lagoon. A young boy many years ago was killed by alligators who infested the waters and the two men hoped they wouldn't share the same fate.

Once their boat hit the shore, the older man got out and said, "Alright we made it." He turned to the younger man and said in an ordering voice "Stay here. I'll look ahead to make sure no one is around."

The young man replied, "I told you Abdul, there is no one in the park. All employees are not allowed to be in there while they're testing those holograms I told you about."

"Do you really think Disney is that stupid to leave their parks open like that Tomar" the older man asked. "We only go one shot at this and we can't take any chances; stay here, take out the bombs and guns. I'll be back."

The older man then went on as the younger man pulled the boat closer ashore to unload the weapons and explosives they carried across the lagoon. In the boat laid a bag with their semi-auto rifles and hand guns, while the rest of the boat was filled up with pipe bombs and pressure cookers-turned frag devices.

As the minutes went by the older man returned from his reconnaissance.

"Well I be damn, there is no one there."

"Well you should trust your own brother's word by now." The man then pulled out two empty duffle bags. "Now let's stack up as much as we can."

The two brothers then packed their bags with as much explosives as they could carry and for them they were strong enough to carry the whole boat load. Ditching the boat into the water, the two masked men slung their rifles over their shoulders and carried their deadly cargo through the swampy shore, towards Space Mountain. A minute later the ground became more stable and they reached solid pavement on World Drive street on the East side of the mountain. There they broke through the fence and were now in the Magic Kingdom.

They continue moving into the park, passing the park railroad and into Tomorrowland. Once on familiar ground, the two brothers stopped to review their mission.

"Alright, I'll set the bombs up here throughout the park while you take the tunnels below."

"I know."

"You still have that key card, do you?"

"Yes" the younger brother pulled out a Disney Security Card. A benefit from being friends with a Disney employee. "You take it. I know my way through the utilidors back when I worked here. Once your done up here I'll see you down below."

"At the third sublevel" the older brother asked to verify.

"Yes, in the DHI server room. No one goes in there and we will stay there till the sun rises. That's when we will do it."

"Good." Picking up his bag and the security card the older brother said, "I'll see you down below."

And with that the two brothers made their way to a security door and used the card to open it. The younger brother made his way through the door that lead down to the park's underground utilidor system. Meanwhile the older brother remained on the surface and ran off to enter the nearest restaurant and entered in without trouble thanks to the Disney security card. Upon finding a nice hiding spot for a bomb, the man opened his duffle bag and took out a homemade pipe bomb and set it to detonate. When the time came, he would detonate the bomb via phone and in the tunnels, he and his brother would use their guns to slaughter any employees caught down below. Having many more bombs to place, the man quickly ran out of the restaurant to find more spots.

The minutes passed as the pipe bomb's detonator blinked silently in the dark. Until the lights flicker for a brief second and a green wisp hovered over the bomb. Seeing that it had found an explosive the wisp decided to teleport itself and the bomb away. The wisp then quietly disappeared within the dark restaurant and the bomb vanished along with it.

* * *

Meanwhile in Sublevel 1 of the Magic Kingdom's Utilidor System

"You know guys I can't believe we haven't thought about this the first time we crossed over" Maybeck said through his Artemis com channel.

"That's why I considered we look around" Philby's voice echoed through the wide-open tunnels of the parks utilidor system. Earlier they had entered through a stairwell in Main Street that lead at least 30 feet underground and for the most part everyone was enjoying the behind-the-scenes accesses to the park. Not wanting to bump into their Disney Villain 'friend' the kids broke up into groups with Finn, Charlene, and Maybeck in one group; Willa and Philby in the other.

There were three sublevels to the park, with the 1st being the original tunnels and the 2nd and 3rd having been added to accommodate Disney employees and the DHI servers. Philby did his research on the matter. Sublevel 1 is the workplace tunnels for employees to get around in the park. Sublevel 2 is an expanded quarter for park employees. And Sublevel 3 is for the park's computer systems and the DHI server.

What surprised Philby was the fact that their DHI holograms were being projected underground, but it was most likely another secret Wayne installed into the system. A system he was hoping to see for himself.

"Hey guys, lets head on down the second sublevel. I want to see how the employees enjoy themselves."

"Where do you want us to meet" Charlene asked.

"I think there was an elevator in the central corridor that is underneath the Castle. Let's meet up there and head on down."

"Okay" Finn said, "We will meet you there."

Having a plan Philby turned to Willa. "Come on then."

"Alright" Willa replied quietly. As they started walking Philby was surprise to see her revert to her quiet nature. She had talked so much when they meet Maleficent that it felt odd to not hear Willa speak loudly; but then again it wasn't like she had a choice.

Thinking of Maleficent Philby asked through the com, "Hey guys have you seen her by any chance?"

"You mean the evil fairy" Maybeck asked, "Um, if we did we would have told you something."

"Have you felt that weird cold sensation" Philby continued.

"No. It's all good with us here." A moment of silence passed till Maybeck said, "You know, we haven't seen her for the last week. Maybe she was just a gliche in the system."

"I'm not so sure of that, after that water trick she did" Finn said.

Next to Philby, Willa pulled up her Artemis to join the conversation. "You know, real or not I didn't expect her to act so odd and thin skin if you know what I mean."

Charlene then said, "I'm with you on that. You think she knows she's a cartoon?"

"I think she knows" Philby replied to her question. "Don't forget she knows that Disney made her into something she's not and I don't think she appreciates that."

"Never mind that" Finn said, "What was with those random questions she asked us? Asking us about some guy's name, if we live in this country, or why people do evil things; you guys getting me?"

"She was asking us trivial things trying to learn about us" Philby said, "Yet I did figure out who 'Davis' was."

"Who?"

"Remember? When Maleficent asked Willa if she knew a man named 'Davis'. Turns out 'Davis' is the last name for Marc Davis; the guy who animated Maleficent."

At that moment, Willa immediately stop in her tracks. "Ooohhhhh…...ccraaap."

Philby was surprise by her sudden change in tone. "What?"

"I think I know why she was so hard on me." She now realized that she didn't recognize someone who was probably important to Maleficent; assuming she is real and knows about her existences as a cartoon.

Shrugging off the mood, Philby nonchalantly said, "Well if you pissed her off, you pissed her off."

"What?!" She was surprised by his carefree response.

"Yeah. If I were her I would be pissed too. I mean why be a fan of something if you don't know anything about it."

Willa then march towards him and said, "Now you listen here Little Einstein, she's my favorite Disney Villain but I don't love her that much were I want to research about her. I draw many things and don't have time to know everything about them."

Maybeck could hear their conversation through the Artemis. "You know I'm with Philby on that. I mean how CAN you be passionate about something and not know why you love it."

"Thank you Donnie" Philby replied to Maybeck on the com channel before turning back to Willa who felt a mixture of defeat and embarrassment. "Sorry Willa, but I have a golden rule that I hold true to my heart. If you don't research something you don't love it."

"Easy for you to say" she replied with a hint of anger. "In case you haven't realized I think I may have gotten on her bad side. If she could manipulate water in mid-air who knows what she could do to me?"

"Relax. That water thing was a one-time deal and if she was real and had magical powers how can she hurt us? We're holograms." Philby said with reassurance.

"He's right" Charlene said through the com. "And if she is real, all we got to do is go to the security office of the park, pick up a few guns, and fill her with lead. Simple."

Maybeck could be heard clapping his hands in satisfaction. "Charlie, I love the way you think."

"I know you do."

Willa felt a little comfort in Charlene's words before turning back to Philby. "Still you shouldn't bash on me so hard like that."

"It's nothing personal Willa, it is just common sense from a geek."

As he turns to continue walking Willa was about to say something but instead decided to just let it go.

Philby and Willa had now stepped into the large central corridor that cut right underneath the middle of the Magic Kingdom and turned to their left, heading north. The Artemis didn't have a map of the utilidor system so they had to resort to their motion trackers. Eventually the two groups came together near a large elevator that was clearly made for heavy duty lifting. Once in the elevator, the five teenagers press the button to the 2nd sublevel.

Once the doors closed the tunnels of the utilidors remained silent with only the ambient sound of electricity and air flowing sending echoes down the empty hallways. A couple minutes later, the sound of loud footsteps fill the utilidors as one of the bombers ran pass the elevator as he continues to place explosives throughout the park. His bag was still full of pipe bombs and he had already set the more destructive pressure cookers near the utilidor's main tunnel. The destruction of the entrance will allow him and his brother to slaughter all those trapped underneath the park, while the bombs above would cause more destruction as well as prevent law enforcement from getting in the way. So far all was going as plan.

* * *

Sublevel 2 of the Magic Kingdom's Utilodor System

11:55 P.M

As the Keepers got off the elevator they were surprise to what they were seeing. The 2nd sublevel of the utilidor systems was fancier than the concrete-backstage feel of the 1st sublevel. Here the halls were more closed and the floor was covered in carpet. The doors had wooden frames around them with distorted glass covering the doors. Combine that with a ceiling that had no pipes or wires up top, the 2nd sublevel looked more like the inside of a luxurious office building than a tunnel system.

From behind, a thought came across Maybeck's mind. "Hey Charlie?"

"Yeah" Charlene turned to him.

"Do you think the security offices are down here?"

"Why?"

"It's what you said earlier. If we want to hunt down an evil fairy then we are going to need some serious firepower."

Everyone nodded heads in agreement and so they turn to the wall in front of the elevator that showed a map of the 2nd sublevel. The tunnel system was in the pattern of a hexagon and on the opposite side of the system was the security offices.

"Okay guys. Let go check it out." Finn said to everyone as he look over his shoulder only to find not everyone was present. "Hey where's Maybeck?"

Philby, Willa, and Charlene looked around only to find Maybeck running fast and quietly down the hall.

"Last one to reach it is a loser!"

Charlene couldn't believe it. He wanted a rematch. "Hey! No head starts!"

After dashing to race Maybeck, everyone ran along with Charlene to the security offices. Turning corner after corner the kids pasted a variety of rooms in which they only momently took a glance at. After a minute of running, Maybeck had come across the final corner and saw a sign in the distance that read **Head Security**.

Unfortunately for Maybeck, he was almost out of energy. "Almost there. Almost there."

Then Charlene past him.

"WHAT?!"

Charlene reached the offices and soon enough everyone including Maybeck caught up.

"How did you…" Maybeck asked before Charlene answered his incomplete question.

"Middle School Track Champion. Remember?"

Maybeck then remember her saying she was at the top of the track team a week ago. "If I would have written that down I would have run faster."

"Well it serves you right for cheating" Charlene said before going through the security office doors.

Maybeck only stood in defeat catching his breath. Everyone else merely gave their sympathies to him as they walked into the office.

"Better luck next time" Finn said as he patted him on the shoulder.

"I may have been last, but you're the loser here buddy" Philby said.

"If you want to beat a girl at something, do it fairly" Willa said.

By himself in the hallway, Maybeck could only take his defeat and reflect on his actions. He then whispered to himself the only word to describe a cheater in a game.

"Douche."

Walking through the doors, Maybeck found himself in a room that looked similar to how a police station would look. With a check in desk, a hallway that had some cells on one end and a monitoring room on the other. All the DHIs where at the end of the hall as they looked at a large cage that housed the security guards weapons.

"So what do we have" Maybeck ask.

Naturally Finn wanted to spell out what guns were in the cage, having learned from FPS video games, but surprisingly it was Charlene who spoke first.

"Apart from those tasers it looks like they got some Glock 45s and some 9mm Berettas."

Everyone looked surprised that Charlene in bewilderment surprised that she gave the model and ammunition of the pistols within the cage.

"How do you know that" Willa asked.

Charlene replied, "Because my family collects guns."

"But aren't your parent's nurses" Philby asked.

"My dad is a doctor. Mom is a nurse" she clarified. "But why does this surprise you? We are in Florida, anyone can own a gun."

She was right on that.

"Your very scary Charlie" Maybeck said from behind. "You know that right?"

"You know my dad has a big gun safe at home" Finn said on a train of thought. "If I could use my DHI powers I could peek in and see what's locked up in it. It's so big I swear he must have an RPG in there."

"So your dad's a gun collector" Maybeck asked. "Maybe you should ask him nicely and he'll give you a peek."

Finn could only wish that. "Well he was a soldier in the military. He didn't make it though from one of his tours, so it's not really an option for me to ask him nicely."

Everyone turned to Finn, not having known his family had a deceased service member. For Maybeck though he felt only guilt for hitting on a painful nerve to Finn. "Look man, I'm sorry for saying that."

"It's cool" Finn quickly replied not wanting to make this a big deal, "It's alright. You guys didn't know."

Philby then patted him on the shoulder and said, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Come on guys lighten up, this is the Happiest Place on Earth" Finn said, "Let's just pretend I never said that okay."

Respecting his privacy, everyone nodded their heads.

Wanting to change the tone Finn blurted out saying, "Well. If Maleficent tries to do anything to us we know where to go."

Maybeck then looked back to the room with monitors. "Hey you think the cameras there caught us wondering down her?"

Philby quickly ran to the room, knowing that if the cameras did see them then Disney would think the holograms 'malfunctions' would warrant turning the DHI server off. Thankfully the access to the security cameras didn't require a password of any kind. Philby guest that access to the utilidors and the offices below would warrant a password.

"Hey guys" Philby shouted to the others. "You go on and check out what's on this level. I'll stay here and delete the camera footage of us. Okay."

"Sure" Finn said before turning to the others. "Okay guys, I think it's safe for us to split up. If you see anything just shout."

Everyone found no problem with that. Soon enough everyone went their separate ways exploring the smaller tunnel system. Finn found a large cafeteria with set up tables and a large kitchen behind the serving line. Maybeck found employee lounge areas that had televisions and even computer labs to accommodate the Disney employees. Charlene and Willa discovered a variety of things that ranged from a daycare area for the employee's children, a dance hall for holidays, and a costume area with a hair salon and designer area.

After spending almost 20 minutes looking around the tunnels, they then decided to return to the elevator to see the 3rd sublevel.

After regrouping at the security office with Philby, everyone walked together back to the elevator. For a new tunnel system, they were impressed at what they saw. "If I knew that Disney park members had this, then I need to get a summer job" Maybeck said in a mode of satisfaction.

"Yeah" Philby agreed. "I bet Disney paid a lot to Mesriya to install these tunnels for the employees and the DHI server."

Remembering that DHI was a project of the Mesriya Corporation, Finn asked a good question. "Do you guys think that Mesriya knows anything about this or what Wayne is doing?"

"I'm not sure."

"And Maleficent?"

"Again, I'm not sure. Your guess is as good as mine."

Once the group reach the elevator, Philby pressed the button to call it. "But I think we're going to find out once we see what is really powering our holograms in the Magic Kingdom."

* * *

September 10, 2019 (Tues.)

Sublevel 3 of the Magic Kingdom's Utilidor System

12:25 A.M.

When the doors to the elevator opened to the 3rd sublevel of the utilidor system, the tunnels reverted back to that behind-the-scenes look as the 1st sublevel. The walls to the hallways were of concrete cement with various pipes and wires covering the ceiling. The loud sound of ventilation echoed through the hall, which made sense as computer server rooms require constant cooling for the machines to function.

The 5 DHIs then walk down the long corridor towards an intersection. Whereas the 2nd sublevel's tunnels formed a hexagon, the 3rd sublevel was a simple cross with each having a door at the end of the halls. The group then split up to explore the three halls. Finn went forward, Philby and Maybeck to the left. Willa and Charlene to the right. As each went down their separate path they could see some doors along the sides of the halls that were either an emergency stair well or a maintenance room.

At the end of each hallway was a door with an ID card lock and keypad. For Philby and Maybeck, their door was titled **Generator 1**. For Willa and Charlene, their door read **Generator 2**. And for Finn his was simple titled **Core Server**.

"Hey guys! I think I found the DHI server!"

A few seconds later everyone ran towards Finn and were now in front of the door that clearly held the DHI server.

"Well let's see what's on the other side" Philby said before walking through the door. The others then followed.

Once inside they found themselves looking at least 30 rows of computer servers each stretching 100 feet in length across a wide room. The room was lite in a dark blue tent of light, making the green and red lights of the servers stand out. The sight made the DHIs feel like they were in a futuristic digital library. But what caught their attention was a large metal red door far in front of them on the other side of the room that spelled out in big bold letters **RESTRICTED**.

They then ran down the path that cut through the servers and got a closer inspection of what was on the red door.

 **RESTRICTED. Daylight Holographic Imagery Core. Authorized Mesriya Personnel Only.**

"This is it" Philby said as the others nodded to his statement. "Come on. Let's see what Wayne's great invention looks like."

Philby walk to the door, but froze immediately when he felt a familiar feeling. It was the cold sensation he felt at the Cinderella Castle when they meet Maleficent.

"Do you guys feel what I feel?"

All of them approached merely inches from the door and felt the feeling as well.

"Do you think she's behind that door" Charlene asked.

"If she is, then I say we get out of here" Maybeck said.

"No" Philby said in a matter of defiance. "Wayne has something hidden behind this door and I'm going find out what it is. Screw it if she's behind the door."

Like that Philby walked through the red metal door, leaving the others standing in wait.

Soon enough he came back, but with a look of disbelief in his eyes.

"You guys have to see this!"

Driven by curiosity all of them walked straight through the door and stood still to what they were seeing. They were in what appeared to be a dome room with a large luminescent blue tube in the center. At the base of the tube was a large computer platform that was the commanding module and covering the entire surface area of the room were circuit boards protected by a glass layer. The room was clearly something out of science fiction.

"I knew this guy was a loon" Maybeck said astonished that this room was designed by Wayne.

Finn's attention was focused on the blue pillar that lite the entire room. Walking towards the command module he could see there was something in tube. Upon closer inspecting, he could see something was suspended in the middle.

"Guys! Look that this!"

Everyone raced towards Finn as they all gazed at the object in the pillar.

It was a square pyramid, about the size of a baseball that had a blue glowing core and was shielded by a metal that had abnormal markings surrounding it. Looking closely, it was then realized the metal shielding resembled something more of a cage than being part of the core. Beneath and above the pillar were blue lasers directing energy to the base and tip of the pyramid. The final detail to pyramid was the DHI logo embedded on the pyramid's four triangular faces with the equilateral triangle having three circles at each corner and one circle in the center.

"Guys" Philby said in disbelief to what he was seeing. "I know I'm supposed to be the know-it-all but I swear to you whatever you're going to ask me; my answer is I don't know."

"Whatever that pyramid thing is it's clearly powering our DHIs" Finn said.

Maybeck looked to the two blue lasers hitting the tip and base of the pyramid. "I think those lasers are powered by the generator room."

"Rooms" Charlene clarified. "Our door read Generator 2, so my guess is that each generator powers each of those lasers."

Wanting to get a closer look at the core, Finn circle around the computer module and was about to place his hand through the tube until Philby screamed "FINN STOP!"

Finn stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"It's radioactive." Philby pointed towards a radiation sign near the base of the tube. Whatever this pyramid was it was clearly dangerous enough to emit nuclear radiation.

Taking a few steps back, Finn turn to Philby and said, "Thanks for the close call."

"So Wayne has something nuclear under the Happiest Place on Earth" Maybeck said calmly before raising his hands and raising his voice. "Why would Disney let a nut job like him built something like this at an amusement park!?"

"I don't know." Philby turn to the console before him. "But I hope this here will tell us something."

"Do you think you can get into that" Charlene asked.

"I know there is a password to get into this mainframe, but if Wayne is the clever devil that he is then he must have made a password that only we can know."

Bringing the computer console online, the system demanded a password for access. Philby typed in 'password' as he did for the laptop when they first crossover but only a pop up came up.

 **INVALID PASSWORD. ACCESS DENIED.**

"Try one of our names" Finn suggested.

After typing in each of their names individually and all together; all attempts resulted in the same outcome.

 **INVALID PASSWORD. ACCESS DENIED.**

"Try DHI" Charlene suggested.

 **INVALID PASSWORD. ACCESS DENIED.**

"Stonecutter's Quill" Willa suggested.

 **INVALID PASSWORD. ACCESS DENIED.**

"Maybe it has to do with Maleficent" Maybeck suggested. "Try her name or the name of that guy you talked about earlier."

Philby typed in Maleficent, Marc Davis, and Sleeping Beauty but all were invalid passwords.

"Bullocks" Philby said in frustration, not getting anywhere with the server.

Willa then suggested, "Maybe Wayne didn't set a password for us."

"No there is a password" Philby replied, "If that return remote is destroyed then Wayne would have set a Plan B for us to return back to our bodies."

That was a valid point. If the remote was destroyed then surely there was a second means of waking up.

"Come on guys think, what do we know that nobody knows but wasn't told to us?"

Philby got up from the seat and started walking aimlessly trying to find the solution to their problem. Finn, Charlene, Maybeck, and Willa meanwhile typed anything that came to mind. Walt's first pen. Project DHI. Wayne Kresky.

"Try moon" Maybeck suggested.

"Moon" Charlene questioned.

"Yeah, Wayne said before that it powered our holograms. It's worth a shot."

They typed in 'moon' and as usually. **INVALID PASSWORD. ACCESS DENIED.**

Willa then had an idea. "Why don't you try 'Luna' instead of moon?"

While they typed in 'Luna' and got the same pop up block, Philby heard their conversation and asked, "What did you guys just type in?"

"Luna" Finn replied. "Why?"

The Latin name turned the light bulb on in Philby's head. "It's Artemis."

"What?"

"This personal system we have, it's called Artemis. It's something we have and nobody knows about."

Finn turned to the console and typed in 'Artemis'. **PASSWORD ACCEPT. ACCESS GRANTED.**

"YES!" The room filled with joy as they cracked the code. Philby then got back on the seat and did his best to understand what this pyramid is.

"Okay, it says here that this pyramid is the core and it is the thing which powers our holograms. It takes the solar energy that reflects off the moon and directs it to the two generators. From there the energy goes to that pyramid and converts its power to the antennas in the park, which projects our holograms."

"What about Disney character holograms" Willa asked. "Is there anything on Maleficent?"

After a minute of typing and searching Philby could find nothing on Wayne's statements in Los Angeles that the DHIs would be used for Disney characters. "I got nothing here."

"Can this thing tell us any more about all the crazy things were doing or seeing" Charlene asked.

Once again Philby searched through as much as he could, but there was nothing to help them understand either Wayne's mystery or Maleficent. "No. The rest is just technical mumbo jumbo that even I don't understand."

Finn look to the blue pyramid and said, "Well at least we know that were deal with something really high tech."

Willa then said something out of mind. "Maybe it's magical."

Everyone looked to her having a point that may or may not be so crazy. Observing the room in awe once more, they figured they had seen enough for tonight.

"Okay guys, I say we go home" Maybeck said as he asked Philby, "Can you return us from here Dr. Phil?"

A moment passed after Philby came across another password popup, only this time it wanted at 25 character Mesriya access code.

"No. I think this is as far as we can go with this server. I guess we have to go get the remote up top."

They all agreed and walked back the same way they came in; through the red steel door, through the server room, and back into the hallway once more where the elevator was straight ahead of them. Then when the five of them passed the intersection of the utilidor, the Artemis on their forearms suddenly pop up and flashed in red the words, **UNKNOWN PRESENCE**.

"What with this?"

"It's our motion tracker" Philby clarified, "And it says someone is near us."

"Do you think it's Maleficent?"

The signal to the elevator door then gave an echo across the hall.

"Guys" Maybeck said in a concerned voice, "If she's magical why does she need to use the elevator?"

After speaking his sentence the doors open and in front of the five holograms was a man dress in black with a mask over his head and a black rifle in hand. He froze instantly, completely surprised to see five teenagers before him. For a moment, all was still and the only sound to be heard was the flowing of air through the vents. At first the DHIs believed he was a security guard, but then realized that guards don't wear black masks across their faces. This was not a guard.

Soon the gunman's mind came back to focus and he pointed his gun at the five teens. "STAY WHERE YOU ARE! ALL OF YOU!"

"WHOA" Maybeck said surrendering with his hands raised. "Don't shoot man! Don't shoot!"

"HANDS UP NOW!"

Finn, Philby, Willa, and Charlene followed Maybeck and did what the gunman said. They could distinguish the accent the man's voice carried and it was one of Arabic. That fact alone made their situation even more terrifying.

Fear overcame them and their holograms became solid as their normal bodies. There was nobody in Disney to stop the gunman and their holograms weren't in the stage to allow them to run through the walls.

The gunman didn't understand what was making the teenagers glow blue but he didn't care. "Now back up!"

They did as he said and slowly walked backwards. Too slow for the gunman's patience.

"FASTER!" He then shot a bullet into the ceiling, making the Charlene and Willa scream in panic.

Philby held her Willa's hand to help calm her down. Maybeck on the other hand held Charlene by the wrist and said quietly, "Come on, I got you."

The five teenagers walked back to the intersection were the gunman then said, "Stop here!"

They complied with his words and then remain silent. They didn't know what he would do to them next.

Seeing that he was in control of the situation, the gunman then asked in a demanding indoor voice, "What are you kids doing down here."

A moment of silence passed before another shot was fired and everyone streaked to the loud echo that rang across the hall.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING DOWN HERE!?"

"We're just holograms" Finn said rapidly not having time to think out the consequences of his words.

"No, you're not" the gunman quickly replied. "You did as I said, your girls shriek like cowards, and the black boy raised his hands in shock." He then raised his rifle and pointed it directly at Finn's head. "Now I won't say it again; what are you doing down here!"

Suddenly to their left, at the far end of one of the generator halls another man dressed in black with a gun in hand busted out of one of the stairwell doors along the side of the hall. The gunman in front of the DHIs pointed his gun instinctively to the other man until the man said, "Whoa, it's me Tomar! It's me!"

"Dammit Abdul, don't burst out like that."

The DHIs now knew there were two gunmen in the park and from their temper they were clearly here at the Magic Kingdom to conduct a massacre of some kind. They could have used this time to escape but escape wasn't an option because one of the gunman was so close to them.

The older sounding man walk down the hall and asked, "I heard some gun shots. What's going...?" He then saw the five holographic teenagers. "Who the hell are these kids?"

"You remember those holograms I told you about. The ones that are the reason why the park is empty. I think I just figured out what there for."

The two gunmen were now in front of the 5 DHIs and the younger man continued speaking. "I don't know how, but I think these things are self-aware and if we let them go they'll ruin the plan."

The holograms didn't like where their conversation was going.

The older gunman then looked directly at Finn, making his fear factor rise significantly.

"Self-aware you say" the older gunman asked before pulling out a pistol. "I'll be the judge of that."

Before Finn knew it, the gunman raised his pistol, pointed the gun at him, cock the hammer back and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

Finn screamed in pain as blue mist erupted out the back of his stomach.

Charlene screamed out "FINN!"

Naturally she moved to check on Finn, but the gunman then aimed his pistol at Charlene; ready to fire another round.

Maybeck, seeing that Charlene was about to get shot, instinctively ran across her hoping that she wouldn't get hit in the head.

BANG!

Charlene avoid being hit, but Maybeck took a bullet to the shoulder and screamed in agony. She froze surprised to see Maybeck do such a selfless thing for her. But now she, Philby, and Willa were all petrified with fear not moving an inch.

"Well I'll be" said the gunman who shot Finn and Maybeck, "I guess your right. If we let them go they'll call security and it's over for us."

Willa and as well as the others knew what was about to come.

So did Philby who was standing in front of her and whispered, "Willa, I'm going to run for it and when I do, run as fast as you can to the server room and hide."

"What" she asked in fearful voice, knowing such an action will kill Philby.

The younger gun man looked upon them and said, "Sorry kid. But we came too far for you all to get in the way."

"Wait for it" Philby said clenching his teeth, knowing what was about to come and hoping Willa could have a chance to run to safety. He didn't know what would happen if they were all shot. Would they wake up at home? Would they die? Would they stay in some limbo? He didn't know.

"Remember Tomar, pick your target and don't waste the bullets." The two gunmen raised their guns about to pull their triggers until the lights to the hallway started to glow brightly. An electrical surge rubble down the hall as the power grew out of control. And then the lights went out and the utilidor was almost pitch black with only the five blue holograms giving any source of light.

Philby stood still, having lost his concentration on being a distraction. Willa was petrified at the sudden darkness. Charlene held Maybeck in her arms, whose shoulder had a bright blue hole in it. Finn laid on the ground clenching his stomach as if he was bleeding even though he had no blood as a hologram. Yet the one thing they all had in common was that they knew what caused the lights to go out.

"What was that" the younger gunman asked, not having a clue as to what had just occurred.

At that moment, Charlene's Artemis pop up a message saying the same thing as before.

 **UNKNOWN PRESENCE.**

"I don't know" the older gunman said as he returned his focus back on the kids. "But let's finish them off."

BANG!

A white flash filled the hallway as the shot rang out. The DHIs at that moment believed the gunman shot at them. Only it was his cries of pain that filled the hallway. Upon the floor was his rifle, broken into pieces, along with the man's fingers. The older gunman couldn't process what just happened. Looking at his hand, only his pinky finger remained on whatever remnants of his hand was left. His hand was now a flapping piece of shredded muscle and splintered bones, attached only by a few tendons.

"AAAAHHHHH!" The pain had finally caught up to him.

Not know who shot his brother's rifle out of his hand, the younger gunman looked to his sides trying to find out where the bullet came from.

Then a voice was heard. A feminine voice of dominance which the DHIs heard before.

"But your guns on the floor and kneel."

Charlene, Philby, Willa, and the two gunmen looked down a generator hall were nothing could be made out. Maybeck and Finn, still reeling from being shot, crawled to look down the hall with everyone else.

Realizing the woman down the hall shot at his brother, the younger man raised his rifle and yelled "SHOW YOURSELF!"

BANG!

A momentary flash revealed the face of a woman whose pale white skin reflected her red lips and yellow eyes; making everyone in the hallway freeze in terror and horror. Except for the gunman who screamed out loud as blood splashed along the walls and ceiling.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHH" screamed the man scream as a bullet blew away the upper portion of his right shoulder, making him lose control of his arm and dropping his rifle. Now it was the gunmen's cries that filled the halls with agony.

The voice down the hall spoke once again. "Kneel. Both of you."

"You blew off my hand" the older man said quietly as he pulled out a pistol with his other hand taking aim in rage. "You damn bi…"

"I SAID KNEEL!"

BANG! BANG!

The teenagers froze in terror as one of each of the gunmen's knee caps were shot and both fell to the ground screaming agony. The teens could see that one of each of the gunmen's legs were now decapitated and now the hall's floor was soaking in blood.

Footsteps could be heard down the dark hallway as the evil fairy revealed herself by the illumination of the DHI holograms; her attention directed only at the gunmen. Philby, Charlene, and Willa who weren't harm were surprise to see that Maleficent wasn't just in her human form but wasn't wearing a black robe. Instead she wore a black outfit that revealed the curvatures of her body and physical appearance, looking similar to a black mannequin doll.

Yet what really caught all their attention was what she was holding in her hand. As Finn's mind came back to focus, he recognized the high caliber pistol and it was one that almost every FPS video gamer knew about. A D-Eagle pistol, made for killing large animals and destroying engine blocks in light armored vehicles. With a pistol of that power it made sense why there are decapitated legs in the hall.

"Turner. Are the boys alright" Maleficent asked Charlene still focused on the gunmen who were still screaming in pain from their wounds.

Charlene at first didn't know what to say at first, but her mind came back to focus and she looked at Maybeck and Finn. "I don't know. They're in pain but I don't know what to do."

Maleficent turn to see the boys and their wounds. Knowing Wayne she knew that they couldn't die from blood loss as holograms, meaning that the boys would be okay and live. However, if they weren't to survive the night.

"Whitman. Maybeck. Which of these men shot you?"

"What" Finn asked staring to lean up against the wall.

Maleficent asked again raising her voice. "Which of these men shot you?"

Maybeck, laying in Charlene's arms, pointed towards the older man whose hand was blown off first. "That guy, he's the one."

Maleficent then slowly turning back to the older gunman who laid before her feet. She wanted to shot him the same way he shot the boys, but she knew that would kill the gunman instantly. So instead she grab the man by his remaining arm, put the barrel of her gun on the man's forearm, cocked the hammer back, and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

"Shit" Maybeck yelled out loud, shocked at Maleficent's brutality.

The man screamed out loud as blood erupted across the wall as the women who shot him toss aside his decapitated forearm.

"ABDUL" the younger man screamed in horror.

Maleficent then slapped the young man with the grip of her gun, knocking out the man's teeth and rendering him unconscious. She hoped for that. Any more force and she could have snapped his neck.

Looking back to the older man and taking off his mask to reveal his dark face and black hair, Maleficent crouched down and put her gun near his temple rendering him silent. Speaking in a voice of intimidation and anger, Maleficent whispered quietly, "You stay quiet as possible. Before I put a round into your last remaining limb."

Hoping she would end him now, the man in anger said, "Go to Hell you damn bitch."

Finn, Philby, Willa, Maybeck, and Charlene expect that would be the end of it. But Maleficent didn't shot him. Instead she merely pressed the barrel of the gun on the man's eye, making him scream loudly as his eye melted into jelly.

"You're already in Hell fool and I am the Devil" Maleficent said to the defenseless gunman. "So if you wish to die quickly I advise it best that you do exactly as I say."

Despite these men trying to kill him and his friends, Philby couldn't stand the disgusting display before him. "For Christ sakes man, just do what she says!"

Knowing full well that the woman was a sadist who preferred to torture her victims, the man swallowed his hatred and laid quiet in submission.

Feeling a sense of pride to such a sight, Maleficent stood up and disarmed her gun; putting it into a holster on the side of her leg. "Now if you don't mind, this damn bitch has a little business to attend to."

All the kids froze at that point as Maleficent turned to walk towards them, looking at Finn who was leaning against the wall. "You aren't to tell anyone about this."

"What" Finn asked not understanding her request?

Looking at the other kids, Maleficent said once more "All of you aren't to tell anyone about this. Do you understand?"

From his view, Finn could see that behind Maleficent, the man whose teeth was knocked out was coming back to conscious and pulled out a pistol, taking aim at the evil fairy. Curious to see what would happen, Finn didn't warn Maleficent as she continue speaking to the DHIs.

"You don't tell this to Wayne, you don't tell this to Disney, and don't even think about…"

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

To Finn's surprise, the shots aimed at Maleficent didn't penetrate her. Instead they seem to 'disintegrate' a foot behind her, turning to black dust and catching Maleficent's attention. She turned to look directly at the young man and when she made direct eye contact, she silently launched an invisible attack.

The man's arm that held the pistol suddenly exploded, sending fragments of his arm around the hallway intersection.

"What the hell" Charlene screamed, not having seen anything that would explode the man's arm.

Keeping her thoughts to herself, Willa said within her own mind, _Did she do that with only her eyes?_

"Yes, Angelo I did that with only my eyes" Maleficent said out loud.

Willa's eyes widened in fear and the others looked at her as well as Maleficent. "How...How did you...did you...?"

"Yes I read your mind" Maleficent answered back. "Your kids are so afraid I can actually read the thoughts going in your head."

She then turned to face them. "Maybeck and Whitman will be okay, but before you can go home I need you to know full well what I do to intruders in my land." She then turned the young man who shot five rounds at her. "Just stay still, be quiet, and pay attention to this."

As she turn to walk towards the young man, Maleficent laid two of her fingers along the side of her temple, as if she was focusing on something internal. After a second she turned to the older man who was surprisingly still silent and quickly teleported his body out of the hallway to the amazement of everyone. The DHIs couldn't believe that she also had the power to teleport other things besides herself.

With only one gunman to deal with, Maleficent crouched down to the man leaning along the wall, took off his black mask to reveal the face of an Arab, and laid two fingers on the middle of his forehead. All the DHIs including the man expecting something demonic to happen from this woman of hell, but to everyone's amazement nothing happened as she lifted her fingers to look into his eyes.

"Huh, so in your final moments you want to remember Sashi and your family?"

"How do you know that" the gunman asked in absolute shock. "How do you know my sister's name?!"

"I read your mind when I touched you," she answered. "And I know that you're doing this for her."

The DHIs couldn't believe what she said. Could she really read minds from physical contact? That's something out of a superhero comic book not a fairy tale.

Maleficent continued saying. "If you don't believe me, I'll explain your life in these last moments. Your name is Tomar al-Mohammed and your companion I teleported was your older brother Abdul. You along with your brother and sister were born from a bombed village in Iraq and you came to America to escape the war. Am I correct?"

An expression of absolute shock on the man's face answered her question. The DHIs from afar were just as shock as the man because of the terminology Maleficent was using. Yet she continued to speak.

"But then you realized that this country doesn't like you. So over time you and your brother wanted to take vengeance on the society that hates you, but your sister's well being is what kept your anger at bay over the years. But then she turned the wrong corner and got violated, so you decided to come here and cause mayhem in the name of your people and your god."

Having a smirk on her face, Maleficent tilted her head in contemplation. "I don't know who the bigger fool is at the end of your story; your family whom believed this country was paradise, you and your brother intruding on my land to die for nothing, or your damn sister who believed the world is a safe place."

A wave of anger boiled in the young man and so he express it by spitting blood onto Maleficent's face.

The DHIs once again thought that would be the end of it for him and again Maleficent didn't respond in rage. Instead she froze in an attempt to control her anger. Standing up slowly and drawing her pistol, she wanted nothing more than to kill the vermin that was infesting her park but upon seeing the man close his eyes in a manner of acceptance she could see that he was ready to die.

But she was not one to give mercy.

Controlling herself as best as possible, Maleficent laid her gun back into her leg holster and instead opened pocket after pocket on her utility belt searching for something. At the same time her anger was manifesting itself by creating a black aura around her body and everyone could see a silhouette of horns starting to form atop her head. From one of her pockets, she found what looked like a handkerchief and started to wipe off the blood off her face.

The man who looked at her with anger and shock now look to her in fear as he saw demonic horns form on her head. Soon enough she put her handkerchief back into her utility belt calmly and looked to the man in disgust and anger. Then she began to smile.

"Well then little jihad" Maleficent said in her true form, "You wanted to fight the Great Satan; well here I am."

Grapping the man from his lower jaw, Maleficent lifted him off his feet and smashed his head into the wall with such force that the DHIs could hear bones being crushed.

"Holy crap" Finn screamed in shock to the shear physical force.

Letting him go, the man was still alive but his lower jaw was caved in from the crushing force.

Maleficent then said, "Before you die I want you to know that after I'm done having fun with you I'm going to burn your brother alive. Then I'm going to find your sister and burn her. Then her children. Then her parent. Then everyone who carries your blood, and it will be because of your spit."

Before anyone knew it, the man's entire body was lifted into the air by an invisible force and was tossed across the hallway's other wall with great impact. No more than a millisecond later his body was tossed to the other wall. To the DHI's his body was being tossed like a ragdoll, but for Maleficent it was a beautiful show of her telekinesis. From afar the kids could hear the sound of breaking ribs every time the man's body hit the wall. His body then fell back to the ground in front of Maleficent.

"Let me teach you one last lesson before you die ignorant fool" she crouched down and whispered into his ear. "There is no such thing as Heaven or God. There is only the fire."

She then grab the man by his throat and lifted him three feet off the ground with only one arm.

"With that lesson in mind, you're going to be something better than a warrior of god."

From behind, Finn, Philby, Willa, Maybeck, and Charlene could see green lines illuminate across Maleficent's black suit that crept up her legs, to her spinal cord, and towards her arm that was holding the man.

"You're going to be an example."

And with those words, a surge of electricity could be heard coursing through the man who was shaking uncontrollably from the immense shock. As the seconds when by the electricity started to crackle in the hall, making the man start to moan in pain. Soon enough lighting started to shoot from Maleficent's grasps on the man's throat and was arching to the pipes on the ceiling above.

"Holy shit" Maybeck whispered to himself, laying still in Charlene's arms.

Soon enough, lighting began to erupt not only from Maleficent's grasps, but also across the what remained of the man's limbs. With each shot of lighting dry blood erupted from the intense heat.

"Oh God" Charlene couldn't believe the sight she was seeing.

The man then at that moment used whatever life he had left to scream as his body flashed from the electricity, revealing his skeleton like that of an X-ray.

Willa gave a sharp shriek of shock and looked away from the gruesome sight.

Suddenly fire erupted from the man's body as his internal organs began to combust into flames one by one.

Philby couldn't stand it and he turned away not wanting her to see the brutality. Everyone either looked away or closed their eyes, but not Finn.

He couldn't help but stare at the image of Maleficent holding a corpse on fire with lightning still surging across it. Maleficent, satisfied with her results, drop the burning body to look back at the kids who were now petrified with fear.

"Take a good look" she said, "All of you. Right now."

Everyone slowly turn to see the grizzly sight of a fire fueled by a dead body. The blue holograms and the orange flames where the only light illuminating the 3rd sublevel, with an fairy wearing darkness around her.

"Now then" Maleficent said turning to the burning body, "If you don't want to end up being like this piece of…." Vulgarity wasn't in her language. "Vomitus piece of excrement, then you'll promise me you won't tell anyone about this. Not to Wayne, Disney, or anyone else. Do you promise?"

Everyone didn't say a word. Being agitated by the lack of response she pulls out her pistol and shot a round into the ceiling.

BANG!

"SPEAK WHEN YOUR SPOKEN TO" she yelled as loud as the gunshot.

Everyone broke from their trance and said out loud "We promise!"

Maleficent in a calming breath look to the dead man and summoned magic to break up the body; making it vanish from existence. "Okay then" she said in a normal indoor voice and looking at the bloodbath she created, "I got some cleaning up to do her. You all go on home now."

Without saying a word, everyone race to get out of the utilidors. Charlene quickly picked up Maybeck by one his shoulders while Finn was a picked up carefully by Philby and Willa. The kids quickly pass by Maleficent, not wanting to look her directly in the eye and called up the elevator go get back to the surface. When the doors open the kids turn to see only the pitched black darkness of the 3rd sublevel, where the monsters laid dead and alive.

They all got into the elevator and press the button to go back to the surface.

"Let's get the hell out of here" said Finn in the arms of his friends.

"Yes" everyone said together.

* * *

Whitman Residence

12:50 A.M.

Finn's eyes open as he was once again in his bedroom at home. After waking up from what could best be described as a nightmare, he expected everything to be normal.

Then he felt a sharp pain from his stomach. "Aahhh."

Carefully getting out of bed, Finn walk to his bathroom and turn on the lights. Lifting his shirt, he could see a purple bruise on the area of his stomach where he was shot by one of the gunmen. Touching it sent a wave of pain to his brain.

"How the did…" before he could complete his sentence, his cell phone rang quietly from his bedroom desk. Walking over to pick it up, Finn could see that the call was from Maybeck.

Maybeck's voice said, "Whitman are you there?"

"Yeah Donnie it's me" Finn relied, "Hey I just woke up with a bruise on my stomach and it hurts like hell."

"Same here."

"What!"

"I got a bruise on my shoulder where that a-hole shot me" Maybeck continued, "Damn it man, what the hell is going."

"I don't know" Finn responded, but he knew who had the answer. "But I'm sure Wayne knows."

"Oh come on man" Maybeck shouted into the phone, "We don't know anything about him and we can't trust him. Who cares about this dumb Stonecutter mystery, we are in a park trapped with some 'thing' that clearly should be in the realm of Mickey Mouse."

"I'm not saying we should trust him" Finn responded. "I just have a feeling that's all."

Not wanting to talk any further, Maybeck said "Okay then, you go get some ice for that bruise and I'll do the same here."

Finn felt that was the best thing to do. Both wanting this night to end. "Okay Donnie, take care of yourself over there."

"You too."

The call came to an end and Finn went downstairs to get some ice and painkillers to help ease the pain. When he finally got into bed he hoped he won't wake up in the Magic Kingdom again. He had seen enough monsters for the night.

* * *

 **AN: And that there people is what happens when you pit bad men against the Devil. For any Fairlie fans out there I'm sure you can see where I'm going with the Fairlies after this. So yeah, in Disney After Dark this is when Finn discovered that pain and wounds transfer to the real body if the hologram is damaged. Only here instead of animatronics pirates from Pirates of the Caribbean, it's radical terrorist who come to the empty park wanting to cause death and mayhem; all of which doesn't really exists in Ridley Pearson's Kingdom Keeper series or the Return. There is a lot I wish to express and share about this chapter so let me lay it out one at a time.**

 **Real Life Dangers: Yes. Here in this chapter I really did put human terrorist into the story and I really do think that it's something that should have been addressed in the Kingdom Keepers book A LONG time ago. Let's be really here, in a real world scenario the logic of keeping all the Disney parks empty at night is beyond crazy. Make no mistake that it is possible for the Disney Parks to be completely empty at night, but for weeks that would be insane. I decided that gunmen should be the ones who inflict the first DHI damage instead of the pirates because I remember reading a review for one of the books a long time ago and I completely agreed with a point made that in Pearson's Kingdom Keepers universe terrorism doesn't exist. Well here it does. It's been so jarring for me to see book after book gloss over this real life danger but my guess is that Disney Hyperion didn't want their books to address any real world topics. This is a one time deal in the story, but kind of feel it's necessary for the Keeper's world because the Overtakers and the people who created them are completely a joke in the books. I would've rather had the DHIs challenge criminals, bombers, and terrorists trying to bring destruction to Disney because the reasoning and motive to the entire plot of 'destroying Disney' is based on a guy who lost his job, aka Amery Hollingsworth in the Return series who uses everything he has on voodoo magic (The Overtakers) and government control mutants (the Fairlies). Now let's look at this from a fictional retrospect, if Hollingsworth REALLY wanted to destroy Disney all he had to do was wait till the 1980's and 90's to conduct his plan to destroy the parks; make some deal with some Middle Eastern radicals and extremists. A real world danger! ALL HOLLINGSWORTH HAD TO DO WAS SMUGGLE IN SOME TERRORISTS INTO AMERICA! And let them destroy the parks through bombings and mass shootings, instead of using petty little mutant children with no loyalty and useless Disney Villains over the coarse of half a century! BUT NOPE! Instead what the Keepers must defend against are pissed off employees, generic cartoon villains, and deranged adults. That is not the case in Project DHI. The real world exists here in this alternate universe where fact and fiction can co-exist. There is a fictional world where the Disney characters exist and it's one of medieval fantasy, but that world won't be explored yet.**

 **The DHI Core: Now before writing my plan for this chapter was only to include the gunmen shooting the DHIs and Maleficent would make an example of them. However having a long period go by I knew that wouldn't be enough for you guys. So I added in the DHI core and the utilidor system which in this alternate universe has 3 sublevels as oppose one (which technically is ground level in Florida's wetlands). Originally I didn't have much focus on the DHI server, but then I realized I needed something to jumpstart this story's mythos and that's when I created the blue pyramid core. As a long time reader to the Kingdom Keepers, there has NEVER been ANY focus on the workings of the hologram technology and for the most part is seen as just another computer server with no special workings. That is not the case here. Here the DHI server really is something ahead of it's time and I hope I shared that through this chapter. Take note to what Willa said. There is so much I would like to talk about regarding the origins of this pyramid, but what I can tell you is that it's not made by the Mesriya Corporation, the Walt Disney Company, or Wayne.**

 **Maleficent's Reform: Being the big fan that I am to this character, I did fell a lot of pressure going into this chapter tackling many things to Maleficent that haven't really been done before in a Kingdom Keepers fan fiction or any fan fiction that includes her character. First let me start with her attire. Yeah throughout the books I found it EXTREMELY hard to believe that she would be wearing long black medieval robes constantly in Florida, the Caribbean, to Central America, and Mexico. So yes while it's a bit crazy to see her in a full body suit in this chapter, I won't be surprised if you guys think it doesn't work with her but to be honest making Maleficent wear 21st century cloths is a tricky thing to do if you want it to stay true to the character and not be oblivious fan service. So I asked myself, what outfit would work for her if she was drawn in her original animation form in the modern day? My most basic answer to that was a black outfit that would simple cover her body in the manner of a silhouette. Not the most elegant for her character, but I think it will do for now. Her motorcycle outfit from the books is an option on the table but that wouldn't feel right for her to wear constantly throughout the story. Yet apart from her cloths, the one thing that I really had to write and rewrite about was HOW she was going to kill the gunmen in front to the DHIs. Should she use magic only? Should she use a human weapon aka firearm? Or does she simple use conversation and incantations to do the job? In the end I decide to do them all. First on her conversation, yeah that's a characteristic strait from Sleeping Beauty. What does she do to Prince Phillip after capturing him? She mocks his demise. So I let her do the same thing to the gunman. Second there is her magic which REALLY needed a serious overhaul. I cannot believe after so many books in the Kingdom Keepers series the range of powers Maleficent has been only fireballs and animal transformations. UNACCEPTABLE! Here I gave the Mistress the powers she deserved both magically and physically. The magical powers are wide from telekinesis, to mind reading, to electrocution, to spontaneous combustion by simple eyesight. As for her body, yeah many would say that Maleficent shouldn't be physically strong but I ask why not? You mean to tell me one of the greatest Disney Villains can't resort to physical combat, weather with a sword or her bare hands? And finally there was the most difficult element to give her character. She has a gun. I'm sure many feel this is way out of Maleficent's character to hold such a modern weapon and I can understand why. Now when most Maleficent fans give her a gun most of the time it's a matter of time setting, but for the most part it's fan service for shits and giggles (respectively). That is not what I want for her character. If Maleficent's going to have a gun it has to do two things: it should be an extension of her character and be a tool that displays power. To extend her character, the gun must in a way 'channel' the emotions she has and turn the feeling into an action instead of an verbal expression. As for displaying power the easiest way to make someone accept Maleficent's use of a gun is to show the true brutality of being shot by one. NEVER before in the Kingdom Keepers series has anyone used a gun let alone been shot by one, so here I wanted to show readers the power of a firearm by expressing graphic details. Getting shot in the REAL world isn't pretty and that should be true for the real world in this story. Overall, there was a lot of ground to break for Maleficent's character in this chapter. I swear as the story goes one I'm probably going to be the first to make a 'modern' Maleficent in a modern world, instead of all the Kingdom Keeper fan fictions that make a 'fantasy' Maleficent in a modern world. In the end, I just hoped my efforts paid off after such a long time.**

 **And that's all I have to say for Chapter 10. Don't forget to share your thoughts and critiques. What works? What didn't work? I hope you leave me a review to tell me how I'm doing so far. In the next chapter...well... let me tell you one last thing.**

 **This chapter is only half of what I was going to originally write. So instead of making a nearly 30,000 word chapter, I decide to save the rest for Chapter 11 which may be the most controversial chapter in the story. I got a plan down but I don't know how far I'm going to go. It won't be graphic like this chapter but will probably be the most realistic in terms of the REAL world. All I can say is this little hint in the lore. The Overtakers do exists (I decided to keep them as they are) but they didn't overtook the Disney Heroes. They overtook Maleficent! Why? They say her knowledge of the 'other' world was so vast that she easily overpowered EVERY villain in the fantasy realm; so they kicked her out and locked the door. How much does she know of OUR world? Stay tune for the next chapter.**


	11. Chapter 11: Resonance

**AN: What's up everyone. After 3 weeks on a family road trip and a home disaster later, I'm back to continue on the story. I do have to say it wasn't easy when it came to this chapter. Not for what it's about but what it was originally going to be. I noted in the last chapter that this one would be controversial for a certain thing, but it looks like that will have to wait to the next chapter because oh boy did I had to make some painful decisions. Thousands of words have been deleted while typing this chapter and some segments that had a lot of effort put into them had to be scraped because it didn't fit the tone of the chapter. In the end what was needed for the story was done and I present to you a chapter that dwells more into the antagonist of the tale. Like the interactive fool that I am, first a few nodes to the reviews on the last chapter.**

 **Life's: I completely get where your coming from Life's when it came to the bombers being both a pro and con to the story. It is surprise that in no Kingdom Keepers book or fan fiction to the series has touched on the possibility of criminals breaking into the park. I wrote these two terrorists into the story because it's a pet peeve that I had with the Kingdom Keepers in that the real dangers are most of the time humans. The Disney Villains get their fair share of evil but for the most part the kids are mostly running from Disney park security officers or having to overcome oblivious park visitors. Heck even with the Disney Villains the books screw up who to focus on. In the books the Disney character who is supposable stronger than Maleficent and is her superior is freakin' Tia Dalma aka Calypso from Pirates of the Caribbean! WTF do those two have in commen! People will say that it's Chernabog, but Dalma was the one who brought Maleficent back to live with voodoo magic so I say no to that argument. As to why her character was overpowering, it's again a pet peeve I've had with the books as they made her very underpowered. I've haven't really introduced the aspects of what the Fairlies are in this reboot, but for those who have read the books and know Amanda and Mattie, I'm sure you all can see where I'm going with the Fairlies on this. Last point that I have to give credit to is that I think I should've kept it all to real instead smashing the two together. I'm guilty on the poor taste of colliding something as real as terrorism with something of fantasy, but heck if the Evil Queen can drive a pick up truck in Mexico and get pass border security after an officer get's his head bitten off by the Devil Chernabog and US Border Patrol say 'cool'; yeah I think Disney Hyperion is okay with colliding the two worlds as long as no REAL people come up.**

 **Princess: Oh yeah, that pyramid things is radioactive and boy is there a lot more to it than just being the core to the DHI server. Something that may be explored in the next chapter. I do want to touch on what you said with Maleficent watching TV, which I've always asked myself while reading the Kingdom Keepers books. How do these Disney characters who are trapped in the parks for decades not learn of the outside world through TV? It's always clawed at me as a reader that the characters haven't accepted the modern world that they live in and that they feel trapped in this weird-bubble where they are in their own fantasy time period even though they are surrounded by technology in parks. Either accept one or the other Ridley!**

 **GK1:Glad you mention the Maleficent movie because this chapter is made because of that review. All I can say is make up whatever Maleficent backstory you can and keep it! It's probably better...NO...it will be better than the movie Disney gave me as a Maleficent fan. It's a horrible movie for Maleficent that looks good but has a cliché story that belongs more to a villain like Mother Gothal in Tanlged instead of Maleficent. I'm trying to hold back the fan in me here; all I have to say is don't see the movie, make up your own Maleficent backstory, and this chapter is a result for bringing up. So thank you because this does good for Maleficent in this reboot.**

 **With that all said I Proto give you Chapter 11 of Project DHI where we are going back in time. And no; we aren't getting on Mr. Jingles in the time traveling carousel nor are we going to steal Doctor Brown's Time traveling DeLorean buried in some cave in 1955. Seriously did anybody realize that The Return series was suppose to be a Disney-like version of Back to the Future?**

* * *

Chapter 11: Resonance

January 29, 1963

Disneyland, California, U.S.A

7:30 P.M.

"If I hadn't said it before Jimmy I'll say it now; thanks for the ride" Wayne said to the driver of the red convertible car. With the hair of a Californian surfer and the body of an Olympian, Jimmy Wilson was probably the last person on Earth Wayne would've expected to be his best friend throughout the years.

"Come on Wayne we've know each other since high school, you know I wouldn't leave you in the dust."

Jimmy's eyes stared to the gift box Wayne was carrying that was so large that it covered his lap. "Mind telling me who the gift is for?"

"Sorry Jimmy it's a secret. I could tell you, but you would probably shout it out the moment you pull this car over."

"Is it for a special girl in your life" Jimmy raised his brows in suggestion.

"No" Wayne quickly replied. "It's for a relative of mine."

"Jesus Wayne! Your 24 years old and you still haven't found that special one? You have to find yourself a girl."

"I'm not sure if you're the guy I should be taking advice from."

"And why is that?"

Wayne replied, "I don't know probably because you married Elizabeth after knowing her for only a few weeks! Seriously, who gets married at 24 years old and in under a month?!"

Jimmy then went of the defense. "Okay first off, her name is Liz. Secondly, every guy ever since the end of the war in the Pacific. And thirdly, if you knew that nuclear war was coming then you would probably do the same. Who better to be with at the end of the world than with your soul mate?"

Wayne digressed.

The red convertible pulled up to the street that was close to the Disneyland Park, at which Wayne got out of the car with the large gift box he was carrying.

"I'll be back in half an hour okay" Wayne said to his friend.

"It's cool dude" Jimmy replied. "I'm going to eat out at that new place they call McDonald's. People say the joint is so good it will there will be all over the place and take over the world."

"Better them than the Russians."

Like that Jimmy drove off in his convertible as Wayne walked towards Disneyland with his gift. After clearing the security gate, Wayne made his way to the Sleeping Beauty castle where Walt created a special room called 'Escher's Keep' where their magical evil fairy could hide during the parks' opening hours.

Walking to the rear of the castle and to its sides where no one could see, Wayne approached a locked backstage door to unlock it with a key that only he, Walter, and Marc carried. Closing the door behind him Wayne then walk down the stairs taking him underneath the Sleeping Beauty castle. It wasn't easy to create this secret as the park had open only eight years ago.

Coming to another door, Wayne knocked on it and as expected Walt Disney was there to open it.

"So...um.. how is she doing?"

"She's enjoying Marc's company" Walter replied, "Please come in."

Wayne entered the room and locked the door behind him. The two men were in a small storage room that mostly contained books from which Maleficent could learn from. The door nearby lead to a bigger living room, from which Wayne guest Mr. Davis and Maleficent were behind.

"She hasn't attacked him?"

"No Wayne" Disney replied. "She's hasn't done anything violent in the last year. Marc is lucky that his neck is okay because she really did it last year."

"I think she's finally sees that she isn't the all power mistress she believed herself to be."

Wayne put his gift to the side. Today was Maleficent's 4th birthday and because of Mr. Davis, Wayne and Walter were obligated to participate. Otherwise they would get on Maleficent's bad side, to which they were amazed hasn't kill anyone so far.

Which is why the men decided to get her out of the park.

"So Mr. Disney, is that special friend of yours coming over soon to see and move Maleficent?"

"Yes he is" Disney replied in dread as he looked to the door where Davis and Maleficent were behind.

"And who is he" Wayne asked.

"Mr. J Edgar Hoover."

Wayne's eyes widen with disbelieve and his mouth nearly dropped as he look to Disney. "The FBI Director?"

"That's right" Walter confirmed. "I serve as his eyes and ears over here in case there's any communist activities going on in the studios."

"Jesus. Why would you do that" Wayne asked, not knowing this dark side to his former superior. "Haven't you seen what happens to those who get black listed in Hollywood?"

"It's better to work alongside the Devil than to be in his path." Walter continued, "I told him that I have an asset that would be helpful in our conflict with the Soviets. After the missile crisis in Cuba last October, the U.S. will take anything that will serve as a trump card."

Wayne couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you serious?! You're giving her to the government?!"

"It's not like I have much a choice Wayne" Walter shouted! "She can't stay here in Disneyland or the Studio. Even if she can stay alive with the drawing we signed she can still kill someone. I'm not taking that chance here. I'm sure once Hoover sees what she can do then he will have no problem keeping her a secret and locked up safe, away from people."

"Wow. I can only imagine how that meeting is going to go."

Hoping to keep Wayne from going on tangent Walter said quickly "I told Maleficent this deal and she agreed to it."

"What" Wayne asked in disbelief. "Why?"

"She says she's been having dreams recently. Dreams that she thinks are of another life. I don't know if what she says is true, but a month ago she told me she'll agree to anything as long as she can explore the world."

"What dreams?"

The conversation was cut instantaneously by the sound of a musical flute from the other side of the door. Wayne and Walt in a moment notice felt a sense of tranquility to the healing melody of the music. Opening the door, the men were surprised to what they were seeing.

Maleficent in her fairy form, horns and all, was playing a wooden flute to Davis her in the middle of the large living room. It was ironic to see a women with the horns of the Devil playing music that belongs to an angel. The melody was so divine that it made all of them feel only peace. It was hard to tell if she this was an enchantment but they didn't care.

Once she was done playing, Davis sitting across from her applauded and said, "What's that song you just played for us? It's magnificent."

Maleficent looking at the flute said, "To be honest I don't know. I only hear it in my dreams."

"Well" Walter finally broke from the trance. "It's a beautiful song."

Maleficent ignored his complement and look to Wayne. "I know what you two were talking about and yes I agreed to leave. Thanks to those books you left for me I got an idea of who and what you're giving me to."

Wayne didn't like this idea of showing a real life cartoon to something as serious as the government, but then again keeping her locked up for 4 years in Disneyland was more trouble than the men could bare.

Walking back to get the gift, Wayne set the box down on the table before Maleficent. "If you're going to prove yourself in something like war, then you are going to need this."

Maleficent looked in slight distain at box which was wrapped up with a bow on it. "Do I look like a child to you?"

"Well you are 4 years old" Wayne expressed.

Ignoring Wayne's comedy Maleficent's nails began to flow with magic, making them turning in claws. With a single swipe she torn through the box so fast and powerful that it not only tore off the gift wrap but also left claws marks that penetrated through the cardboard box. Opening it she look upon a human weapon in which Wayne allowed her to use in recent months."

"I assume that this is both my shield and sword" Maleficent asked.

"Yes it is" Wayne replied as she closed the box and put it aside. "Say good bye to swords and crossbows."

Resting herself she look to Wayne and Walter. "You two can go. I like to talk to Mr. Davis alone."

Davis look to the men and nodded them silently to comply. "Left a little bit of cake for you over there Wayne. Enjoy it when you get home."

"Fine by me, I think my friend is probably on his way back so I'll see you later." Wayne picked up the left over cake and left the room to leave the park.

Walter noticed near Marc the black case that is supposable his gift. He now understood why Maleficent wants him to leave and so he did. Before he closed the door he said to his old friend "Be safe ok..." Disney was stopped mid-sentence as he cough really hard.

Davis asked, "Are you okay Walt?"

"Yes I'm fine" he replied. "Doctors say it's because I smoke too much."

"Well lay of the cigars before they kill you" his friend said in a comedic sense.

Walt merely gave a smile and said, "I'll you later my friend."

A few minutes after the two have left, Maleficent look to her creator.

"Why do this?"

Davis, surprised by her question, then asked in return, "What do you mean?"

"Why did do this small celebration for me? They didn't even stay here for long."

"Knowing you I think we can agree it's better that way" Mr. Davis replied.

"I tried to kill you" Maleficent said as a point of reminder. "So why do you care about me?"

Sitting up straight and looking back at Maleficent, "Well…knowing you I'll cut straight to the point. I feel guilty for your suffering and so I feel obligated to ease it as best I can."

Maleficent frowned in slight disgust. "You're taking pity on me?"

"I do remember that day you nearly choke the life out of me, but I also remember that was the day I saw you break down. To answer your question yes, to a degree some of it is pity."

Rising from her chair in anger, she said in a rising voice, "If you really take pity on me, then why didn't you tear the drawing that keeps me alive into pieces? Why burden yourself with me?"

Seeing a moment all too familiar in deal with her, Davis remained seat but changed his demeanor to that of when he was a chief animator at Walt Disney Studios. A demeanor that to a boss. "Do you believe in those dreams you've been having?"

Maleficent's anger was quickly extinguished.

"Do you think that song you played for me came from nowhere?"

He had a valid point to counter her questions, making her feel fell slightly humiliated for her sudden outburst.

"I'll take your silence as a yes." Davis continued, "I pity you not because you're weak but because you refuse to accept the joy in life. After all the horrible things you've done to yourself I was close to tearing your drawing to shreds. I was very close."

Bringing back unpleasant memories, Maleficent sat silently, slowly looking away as she didn't have the courage to see her creator in the eye. "So why did you not do it?"

Taking a deep breath he replied in complete honest. "I didn't kill you because of a dream."

"A dream?" This caught her curiosity as she look to him. "Do share."

Having never said it before he said "To this day I have this dream for you that one day you would be in your human form, walking to a car at the edge of the park ready to take you where ever the road goes. You would know the world and you would be prepare to face it."

Maleficent could tell he was hiding more. "And?"

Taking a deep breath he continued. "And on that day I would be there to say good bye and wish you luck. Then at that moment you would look to me silently and I would see you at peace. No anger. No fear. Just a final and quiet farewell."

His words resonated with what she's always wanted. Her stoic express was replaced with a hint of despair. Wanting to distract herself she telepathically turn the television in the room on. "As we approach the late news hours, we will finish our broadcast with news overseas where a band called The Beatles is gaining rapid popularity in the United Kingdom. Stay tune after these commercials."

"You should go" Maleficent said to her creator as she watched the television. "It's getting late."

Feeling it was best to leave her be, he got up and left his gift on the table. "One day you'll understand what I mean."

Davis then took his coat to leave. As he step thought the door Maleficent asked, "Will you give me one last gift before you go?"

Finding her question odd he replied, "And what would that be?"

"To answer a question I've always asked myself."

Now it made sense why she didn't want to open his small gift. This was what she truly wanted for her birthday. "Okay. What's your question?"

Maleficent, looking away from her creator as she sat in her chair, mustard the will to ask the question she has never said out loud before."Why am I here?

Knowing that she must have asked this question to herself many times, Davis replied with the only answer he could give to such a question.

"You are here because you are."

The room was silent for a time.

"Thank you" Maleficent replied still looking away from him. "For both this small engagement and your honesty."

Sensing that she wants to be left alone, Mr. Davis exited the room and through the second door. A few minutes past till Maleficent was alone with only her thoughts. Her special talent is that she rarely expressed grief but if the conversation had gone on any further she would have humiliated herself.

She then pick up the small black box that be left for her and with it came a note.

 **'For your receptors. Helps with the electronics.'**

Tossing the note aside, she open the black case to look upon the gift he had bestowed to her.

A pair of silver bracelets.

* * *

(Present Day)

Maleficent closed her journal titled ' January 1963' and touched the silver bracelets upon her horns. Even though her creator was gone she could still feel his care in the cold metal. How ironic that the smallest of gifts are the most impacting ones in a person's life.

For the first four years of her life she had done was find ways of killing herself out of grief. The moment Davis spoke of those events she remembers vividly of the many attempts she tried in killing herself. Now looking back she would probably punch herself in anger to such disgraceful wasn't until the new millennium that she finally understood why he didn't kill her. He believed that there was more for her to live for than just drowning herself in angst and grief.

 _Resonance is such a pain._

Placing the journal on a shelf in her bedroom, she turn the plasma screen on and telepathically turn to local news coverage to see if her work was being reported. Luckily it was.

"We open our news hour with the destruction of the apartment belonging to Sashi Mohammed, the victim of last weeks brutal hate crime. Residents say the fire broke out at around 9:00 a.m. when neighbors screamed in terror to small explosion outside of the apartment unit. The resident of the unit was later identified as Sashi Mohammed and was occupied by her two brothers, Tomar and Abdul, along with her teenage son Ahmed. Thankfully no one was killed in the arson attack, but the two brothers are believed to be missing. This arson attack is being reported by Orlando Police as a hate crime in relation with the rising tension in minority populations across the country. This today shows that only more fuel is being poured onto that already raging fire."

A fire that Maleficent was careful not to grow. She wanted to make good on her promise from last night, but if she were to do so then that would cause forces beyond her control to get out of hand and would lead to a potential massacre somewhere else in the States. If that happened Disney would raise their security over night and make it more difficult for the DHIs to find Walt's pen. That she couldn't allow.

 _At least I have images to show the fool._

She took out her smartphone out to make a call to the DHIs. Closing her eyes to focus, she remembered the full names of all the DHIs to mentally call them on their cell phones at the same time.

Yet before she could a green wisp once again barged into her room silently.

"Now what" she asked in frustration.

The wisp telepathically told her that the older bomber she captured hours earlier is in good health and that all traces of their intrusion was erased.

"I guess those healing spells are still good to bring back limbs then" she said to the wisp. "I'll have some fun with him later. Now get out. I need to make a call to those kids."

The wisp then disappeared and she focused once more on calling all the DHIs at once.

Terrance Maybeck was right on his doubts.

* * *

September 10, 2017 (Tues.)

Freedom High School, Orlando

12:00 P.M.

 _Come on line. Move faster._ Finn said in his mind.

Despite having been shot in the stomach that couldn't stop a teenager's need to eat after hours in class. Today it was chicken fried steak with mash potato, gravy, a side of corn, and the usual ice cream sandwich for desert. That's the torture about knowing what's on the menu, having to read it while waiting to have some. Although it was better to think of food then to remember the gory scenes from last night.

Then he felt his smartphone vibrate in his pocket and he took it out. The caller ID number had only zeroes, something Finn had never seen before. Fearing that this could be some techno genius trying to hack his phone, Finn ignored his call and got his food from the cafeteria. Then just as he was about to leave with his tray...

"WHAT!"

Finn as well as everyone in the school cafeteria took to the source of the sudden shout. Dead in everyone's eyes was Maybeck.

Looking around him he quickly said, "Sorry guys I uhh…" He then quickly got his backpack, slung it across his good shoulder, and quickly threw away his trash before dashing out of the cafeteria with his cell phone glued to his ear.

Ignoring Maybeck's outburst, Finn walk along and went outside to where Dillard and Jezebel were sitting down.

"How you doing man" Dillard ask as he finished lunch.

Jezebel, writing in her journal, looked to Finn and took notice of him holding his stomach in discomfort. "Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah" Finn replied to her, "I'm okay. I'm doing well."

Sitting down, Finn quickly ate his lunch so he could have a little bit of social time. Suddenly, Maybeck burst through the doors and ran towards Finn. "Jesus man, why are you out here. I need to tell you something."

"Well can it wait after lunch?"

"NO" Maybeck quickly replied, "It's an emergency. For real."

"What kind of emergency" Dillard asked to boy Finn never introduced fully.

Seeing that he couldn't do this in front of people, he looked to Finn and said, "Okay I'll tell you later. But shut down your phone. We don't want 'a certain someone from last night' to call you."

Finn could hear Maybeck's hint and the idea hadn't fully hit him.

"I'll going to go tell the others because they're not answering their phones." And like that Maybeck shot back inside, but then Finn follow him.

"I'll help you" Finn turn to Dillard and said, "Sorry man but I need to go."

"That's cool Finn I'll just..." Before he could finish his sentence Dillard saw Finn run inside with Maybeck.

Jezebel look to Dillard to ask, "What do you think wrong with him?"

"I don't know."

Dillard sat down once again to finish his food. Meanwhile Jez phone rang and she picked it up.

"Yes…..I'm sure they'll be there…..What?...Why me?...I understand….I'll do it….I'll see you when you pick me up after school…Okay." Jez then hung up her phone, looking to Dillard who was just minding his own business. For her she felt their friendship as odd. Despite the fact she rarely talks to him or Finn, they still come outside to sit with her.

"I know this is a little late to say Dillard, but why do you continue to sit out here?"

Dillard turn to her. "Do you always like to ask deep questions now and then?"

"Just answer the question."

Doing as she demanded he replied, "Well I guess we really have nowhere else to sit inside, so Finn and I have just one place to eat."

"Then why don't you sit somewhere else" she asked. "We really don't talk and I can tell from you and Finn feel awkward being close to me. I can stand on my own, so I don't mean to be disrespectful but I'm not one who wants friends around her constantly."

"Oh I know that" Dillard replied. "But trust me when I say that lunch time is the only time where you can talk with your friends."

"But Finn is your true friend."

"True friend or not everyone needs company."

Jez stayed silent for a few seconds before asking, "Well do you enjoy my company."

Dillard pondered and said, "Well you are quiet. But that's cool. You don't need to be a loud mouth fat man like me to be my friend. But it would be nice if you share something once in a while."

His mind then wondered to Finn. "Besides, I think I'll get more from you than Finn."

"Why?"

"He talks a lot at lunch but on the bus and at home he's hasn't been saying much. He's quiet from time to time but this is something else. I think there's something he isn't telling me."

The bell then rang and everyone outside collected their trash to throw it away. Before Jez could leave Dillard quickly said, "You know what I think all of us should go to Disney World."

Jez turn to him, surprised that this invitation was so suddenly. "What?"

"Yeah. Finn gave me a Disney VIP park pass not too long ago. Said it was an extra for being a hologram. I think a trip there for the weekend will cheer Finn up and heck even you."

"I don't know if I can go."

"That's okay. But if you can just tell me."

Like that Dillard walk towards the door leaving Jez standing still. She found Dillard's behavior to be the most awkward type she's ever seen. Even with concern for his companion he still manages to find the good stuff in life and gets to his feet quickly. She's imagined the behavior many times in her mind but to see it in person was unique.

Maybe it was because her mother had never found the joy in living as Dillard has.

* * *

Whitman Residence

3:15 P.M.

"Okay fine I'll go with you to the park on Saturday" Finn said.

"Don't give me that man" Dillard said, "Trust me I think you need it. You've been down lately and this will lift your spirit up."

The doors to the school bus open and the two boys got off their stop. Finn went down the street to his house and Dillard walk towards his.

Upon opening the door for her son, Finn's mother gave him the usual welcome. Asking him about his day, how things were going. But before Finn could go upstairs to take his afternoon nap, like all high school students take, his mother asked, "Did you get a call from Disney about that commercial you have to attend?"

Not knowing what she was talking about, Finn asked "What are you talking about?"

"Apparently Disney says they need to do a DHI commercial for the holograms and they need you and the others to go in at around 6:00 tomorrow evening."

"Why would they ask us to do something like that and not give us a heads up" Finn asked, not knowing at all what was going on.

"I don't know" his mother responded. "They said it was very urgent and that they'll pay you 1,000$ in cash if you attend."

This was something too odd for Disney to do. Not only that they wouldn't ever pay someone 1,000$ for something as small as a commercial, but also without word from Wayne. But then he remembered what Maybeck said earlier.

"Don't worry mom, I think Wayne hinted about that a few days ago. I guess it slipped my mind to tell you" Finn lied to his mother.

"Okay then. Just call him to get the details."

Then like that, Finn made a dash for his room, shut the door, and got his phone out to turn it on. He was surprise that he got text from all the others.

 **MALEFICENT KNOWS OUR NUMBERS** , texted Maybeck.

 **What is with this dinner invitation** , texted Philby.

 **Why does she want us over there in person** , texted Charlene.

 **I don't know why she wants me to draw all of** us, texted Willa.

There were more of their texts, but Finn scrolled down his phone and to his missed calls. Apparently the zero ID caller had left a message. Finn touched his phone to hear the recording.

"Hello there" Maleficent's voice spoke through the quiet room, "I hope you didn't tell anyone about that little incident last night at the park. Not to worry, all is well and safe here at the kingdom. As for the five of you, I'm calling you to give an invitation."

Finn sat down in disbelief. He couldn't even begin to question how she could even call him.

Her messaged continued. "Have a great sleep tonight, because tomorrow I like the five of you to have dinner with me. You are my guests after all and so I must make you feel welcome to my home. You will come tomorrow afternoon to Fort Wilderness along Bay Lake not too far from the Magic Kingdom. There you will go down Big Pine Drive, then down Cypress Knee Circle Street, to a river that leads to a dam at the mouth of the lake. Cross the dam and go close to the forest where a wisp will guide you to me. Be there at 6:00 P.M. exactly. Don't worry about your parent's concerns. I'll take care of that. I advise it best that you come. I have a gift for you all that I'm sure you'll find fascinating. And Angelo, if you are hearing this, do draw your friends and yourself in Mr. Davis's art style. You'll understand soon enough. Now that we understand each other more clearly, let's come together and try this again."

Then like that the call deleted itself automatically from Finn's phone.

"Oh man. This isn't good."

* * *

(The next day)

September 11, 2019 (Wed.)

Cypress Knee Circle Street, Fort Wilderness, a mile southeast of the Magic Kingdom

5:30 P.M.

The bus going down Big Pine Drive pulled over to let off its passengers. Finn, Philby, Willa, Maybeck, and Charlene got off the bus an began their walk down Cypress Knee Circle Street. According to their maps a river that feeds to the nearby Bay Lake is only a 10-minute walk away.

As they walked Finn turn to Willa and asked, "So you managed to draw all five of us as cartoons?"

"Well it wasn't easy" Willa replied. "She said to draw us like we are in Sleeping Beauty but I don't get it."

"I don't know about that" Charlene said, "But I don't get how she could call us on are phones and at the same time."

"I knew this would happen" Maybeck said from behind.

Eventually they came to a sharp turn on the street and to their right was the river. Walking off the beaten path they followed the river, down the clearing, to a small dam that had a small street on top of it. With no one in sight they walked across the dam and towards the forest. Looking back from their vantage point they could see the Cinderella Castle and Space Mountain on the horizon. The Disney Contemporary Resort, or the futuristic looking hotel with the monorail going through it, was the one the other side of the lake. And dead in the center of the lake was a large island completely covered in vegetation.

"Hey what's that island over there" Willa asked.

"That's Discovery Island" Charlene quickly answered. "Use to be a pirate theme attraction. Then became a Disney zoo. Then after Animal Kingdom opened, they just abandoned the island and all the buildings as well."

Maybeck looked to her and remembered. "Let me guess, Disney documentary?"

"Yup."

They then wondered about, waiting for 6 o'clock to come about. The sun was still high in the blue sky but thankfully it was September and the weather was cooler than usual. After half an hour it was time.

"Well it's 6:00 P.M. right now" Philby said as he looked around, seeing if there was a green wisp to follow as before. Then out of nowhere a green wisp shoots out of the ground and circles around the group slowly.

"Well guys I think we're just in time" Finn stated the obvious to everyone as the wisp moved slowly into the forest.

The kids then follow the wisp through some thick grass before they came across a tire trail that was carved into the ground. The wisp followed the tracks to a very large shed deep in the forest that looked decades old and was no doubt abandoned. The five of them then opened the large wooden door to enter the shed and they found nothing, just the wisp floating in the center of the large open area as big as a garage.

"Umm…okay. What now" Maybeck questioned.

The wisp then dived to the ground and a green pentagram appeared beneath their feet. Before they even knew it their bodies flashed out of the shed and the forest was silent.

* * *

(Location Disclosed)

800 feet beneath Discovery Island

6:02 P.M.

All five of the teenagers were now in a dark chamber nearly devoid of light.

"Whoa" Charlene screamed to the sudden change in setting. "What just happened?"

"I think that we just used Maleficent's teleportation spell" Philby said.

"To where thou" Willa asked.

"My sanctuary" Maleficent's voice said from behind. Unfortunately she was behind Maybeck again.

"Christ" Maybeck took a few steps back, getting away from her quickly. "Why you got to do that?"

Maleficent, in her human formed smiled to his comical question. "I just want to remind you of how small you are Terrance."

"Yeah well if you want to tell us not to mess with you I think we got the message the night you killed those guys."

"Only the one man" Maleficent corrected. "I need one alive to make sure that they're weren't hiding any surprises. Thankfully they didn't kill anyone before they got to the park. So all is well and so you're still safe in the park."

 _Not with you in it._ Everyone thought inside their head.

"Come now. I saved your lives will also foiling a massacre and this is how you thank me?"

They forgot that she could read minds at a distance.

"Why do you want us here" Finn asked, knowing that this had to be more than just another introduction with her .

Maleficent read his thoughts and replied, "If I am to be honest…I'm bored."

"For real" Maybeck said amazed to how nonchalantly she replied.

"When you're locked in a park for decades and have no one to talk to you'll take any company to keep your sanity at bay."

Snapping her fingers the dark chamber lite up to reveal a large collection of drawings and paintings. The colossal walls and the smoothness of the roof made the setting look like that of an art museum.

Out of curiosity Philby asked, "Where are we exactly?"

"At least 800 feet beneath Discovery Island" Maleficent answered. "You can't believe how long it took me to build all of this."

"Wait we're underneath the lake" Charlene asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"And you managed to build all this" Maybeck gestured his hands to everything.

"Yes."

"How thou" Philby asked.

Maleficent replied. "Determination."

She then turned her attention to Willa. "You have the drawings Isabella?"

Taking out her backpack with her art journal inside, Willa took out five papers to give Maleficent. Taking the papers, Maleficent was impressed that Angelo could mimic Mr. Davis's art style.

"It's a good thing that you draw Mr. Davis's style so vividly" Maleficent said with a smile on her face. "You can't imagine how much I wanted to hurt you for not paying your respects."

Everyone froze in terror; thinking back to the night before. Willa on the other hand look to Philby in and said with her face _'See! I told you she would be angry with me.'_

"Not to worry I forgive you" Maleficent said sensing Willa's fear. She then turns her attention to the others. "Please do look around. I created these over the years but art isn't complete without an audience to see it."

She then walked towards a large painting. "I think this is a good place to start."

The kids could see from afar that the artwork was a black and white drawing that showed a cottage upon a hill with a small farm growing near it. In the background was girl looking at a fire beneath a tree with a castle barely visible in the far distance behind.

"So what's the piece called" Willa asked?

Maleficent didn't label any of her artworks as their titles were only for her to know. Not having anything fancy on her mind she replied to Willa's question with the only word she could think of looking at this farm cottage.

" _Home_."

At that moment they then knew why she brought them here.

"You invited us just to see a your life's story" said Philby.

"That wasn't the original intent. But I feel this as a little means of enlightenment to your dwindling imaginations."

Charlene ask "So what's the original intent?"

"You'll see soon enough." She then turned to the kids. "I know all of this is so sudden, but I can assure you that you're not going to be hurt. I am a lady of my word and I promised you that no harm would come if you do as I say. And what I'm saying to you now is to relax and enjoy this day. While I enchant Angelo's drawings I want you to take pleasure in seeing my story; from myself and not from the perspective of simple minded hypocrites."

Maleficent then teleported herself out of the chamber and left the five kids alone in the large art gallery.

"Enchant" Willa said confusingly.

"So she's just leaving us" Maybeck said, "Just like that."

"Well" Finn said to everyone. "You heard her guys. Let's look around."

"Gotcha" everyone said together.

Like that, everyone split up to look at each artwork by themselves. Not that they were excited to see art, but that they didn't want to offend Maleficent.

The chamber they were in had large openings leading to other chambers with more drawings. The walls were nearly two stories tall and painted in clear white. The floor was black marble, the ceiling was lite by chandeliers, and the whole place was air conditioned. They found it hard to believe this was all underground and beneath a lake.

Finn look upon a painting where teenagers were fighting in the courtyard of a castle. In the center were two teenage girls training with a sword and wand in each hand; facing each other off in a duel of some sort. One of the girls had black raven hair and was fair in beauty and strength. Her challenger was a white hair girl whose skin was silk white who was equally beautiful and powerful as her opponent. From their stances they looked like they really wanted to overpower the other. Finn knew the black hair girl was Maleficent but he couldn't help but feel like he had seen someone like that before.

Charlene stare to a painting which showed a large citadel structure that was enormous. The building was saturated on a large island that covered the entire painting and looked composed of three sections. In the center and set on a large platform that reached for the sky, was a beautiful castle that was surrounded by clouds. At the bottom on each side were buildings that looked similar to a high court having columns and stone décor. One of the court building look to be angelic with the statues having bird and insect like wings. The other building opposite of it was decorated in a dark demeanor with dragons and with wingless statues wielding swords and magic. At the bottom of the painting was the sea and a small boat with two people on it. Both of them appeared to be teenage girls and they were only staring at the colossal courts and castle in the sky.

Maybeck was staring at an art piece that was different from the others in turn of its setting. Instead of the fantasy setting of Europe, the setting of this drawing looked as if it was in Persia or the Middle East. The image was that of a party, the crazy sexy kind, in which all the men and some women look to a dancer with long black hair in the center. Seeing how little she was wearing, it was obvious she was a slave girl. In the back of his mind, Maybeck hoped this wasn't who he believe to be because all the girls' curves were….

"Nope" Maybeck said quietly to cut of the disturbing idea.

Willa's attention was towards an art piece like the drawing Maybeck was looking at; that being the setting being somewhere that clearly isn't European. This drawing appears to be in India, with the background having a Hindu temple with a large river at its base. In the foreground were two tall women looking upon the sunset; one having long black hair and the other having short hair.

Philby stare to a drawing where a queen fairy was performing some sort of knighting ceremony to a row of women dressed in robes and knelling with their staffs held behind their back in a store of special stance. The fairy queen was obvious to see as she was wearing a golden crown, a dress covered in jewels, and large insect like wings that were like a butterfly. The fairies upon which she was knighting were very different. Those who had blond or brunet hair had insect wings, and those who had black or red hair were wingless. Yet the fairy that caught his attention was one with long black hair and Philby could easy tell that this fairy is Maleficent.

Each of them took turns looking at each drawing, painting, and work of art; curious to see the events that shaped Maleficent's life.

One painting showed her in mediation with an Asian monk in the high snowy mountains. In the back ground they could see large snakes flying in the background. Soon enough it was discovered that they were Chinese style dragons flying in the back ground that had no wings as the traditional dragon.

Another showed her in a dense jungle preparing to fight a large African man in hand to hand combat. The match was set in the center of a village surrounded by humans and giants that towered over the trees. Behind Maleficent and her competition were African women who looked to be the teachers of their given students; meaning the match was really a show of student vs. student with their mentors looking to see their efforts in action. The women behind Maleficent was beaded in jewelry, having chocolate skin, and had similarities to the village chief who was seeing the match from a high throne.

The next art piece was set on a beach with a dark storm out upon the horizon. On the sandy shore was Maleficent standing with another woman close by. Both of them were witnessing a man conjuring magic and displaying it by creating a bird of fire, most likely a mystical phoenix. The man was clearly a sorcerer showing or teaching magical arts to his two students.

So far none of the paintings the kids had seen depicted Maleficent having her signature horns.

The next showed Maleficent sitting with three other women on the balcony of a high castle overlooking a rolling countryside. All of them appear to just be enjoying time together in a reunion sense. Some of the women were seen in the previous drawings but in this art piece they were in great detail. One of them looked similar to Maleficent's younger appearance, but her face was more expressive and her long hair was tied in a French braid. Another look significantly older having a sharper face and had short hair which made her appear more dominating. The last woman in the picture was overly expressive having a sense of pure glee and having crazy curled hair.

"Well I'll be" Maybeck said from behind everyone. "Looks like she could make friends after all."

"How many places has Maleficent been in her life" Charlene asked, "It is likes she's been to almost everywhere in the world."

"I never figured she was such a wondering traveler" Philby expressed in disbelief. "That's assuming what we are seeing is actually what happened in her life and if this is real world related."

Finn then suggested, "Speaking of the real world, you got to wonder if any magical beings in ancient times realized there were two continents across the ocean."

"Maybe they did" Willa answered from behind, "But they didn't want to come here."

Walking into another chamber, the kids continued to view certain events in Maleficent's life, but then they came across something odd.

"Why this painting all black" Finn asked staring and a black canvas with nothing drawn or painted in it.

Willa suggested, "Probably an empty chapter in her life that isn't filled in."

All of them nodded their heads to that. They continued their look into Maleficent's story as there was more to see.

To everyone's surprise the first artwork they came upon showed Maleficent in union with a man within a forest with pixies in the background. Here Maleficent was no doubt an adult and the man in which she was holding was clearly her lover. They could tell he was a fairy based on the blue light his body was emitting. Seeing how handsome he was with his large muscles and clear brown hair it was no surprise that Maleficent chose him.

"Damn the guy makes me want to love him" Maybeck said quietly from behind.

Everyone looked to Maybeck in an awkward sense. Until he burst out laughing.

"I'm just joking you guys!"

Charlene looked to the painting once more and said, "You know Donnie, he may be just a picture but he's more of a man than you."

Maybeck's laughter was quickly extinguished. "So what does that make me?"

"A dork" said Charlene.

"A goofball" said Willa.

"A juvenile buffoon" said Philby.

"Wow" Maybeck said with his arms in the air. "You guys came up with that pretty quickly."

"Well it's nice to be prepare" Philby said.

Finn returned his attention back to the painting. _I wonder who he was to her._

Moving on, the next picture showed the white-haired girl fighting Maleficent once again except they were both grown up and that the white haired girl wore a Greek mask that covered her entire face. The two competitors carried staff and sword in each of their hands The anger in Maleficent's face showed this was a personal battle.

The empty canvas nearby was blank with nothing but black.

Then when all of them were looking upon a painting with Maleficent sword-in-hand standing on top of a ditch which was filled with dead men, women, children, and babies. The thing that makes it stand out is it's the first art piece in which Maleficent had horns growing from her head. Only they were small and hard to make out from the charcoal style drawing.

From then one they saw only destruction in the works of art with a few blank pictures.

One show the colossal castle and court houses that Charlene saw earlier ablaze in fire. The whole structure was a blazing inferno with the castle high in the sky crumbing down it's high pedestal. Below at the sea were thousands of fairies looking at the sight in disbelief and horror.

The following artwork was one of a total hellish landscape. The sky was blanketed in smoke as castles across the land were burning in great fires. Winged creatures and European style dragons were flying upon the red horizon that was not lite the sun and a red moon in the sky only reinforced the apocalyptic setting. It was hard to tell if this was Earth or Hell.

The painting next to it showed a battle between winged fairies and wingless fairies. Upon the ground were a dozen fairies with staffs being lifted into the air and lighting was arching across the grey storm. Winged fairies were in flames and dropping out of the sky.

The following pictures all had one thing in common and that was Maleficent fighting against the civilizations she learned from. The many pieces of art were showing Maleficent in combat against her teachers, from the African woman, to the Chinese monk, to the sorcerer on the beach, and so on. Maleficent's horns grew larger with each foe she faced until they were her signature appearance.

Then out of all the gloomy pieces, there was one all of them recognize. Maleficent casting a spell at a princess's baby shower. Finn, Philby, Willa, Maybeck, and Charlene at this moment came to lose their sense of reality. The fact Maleficent was real and that they were watching her life in art, the sight of seeing the fairy tale from their childhoods appearing in this limbo of fantasy and reality made all of them question a great many things.

But after the Sleeping Beauty painting, there was only another blank canvas. Mostly like to resemble another empty chapter in her story that hasn't been filled.

When the kids exited the hallway to another large chamber the tone of the collection they witness mostly death.

Here they saw one piece showing Maleficent in her true fairy form stripe naked and bounded in chains. In the painting she was being paraded across a human and fairy spectacle as a form of public humiliation. They could see the lack of life drained from Maleficent's face but she was stoic. No crying. No anger. Nothing but a sense of inevitability.

Then the next picture showed many winged fairies looking at a tall tower set upon a cliff arching out into the sea in coming storm. Near the base of the tower was a priest ringing a bell in a ritual sense. At the top of the tower was a fire and the smoke bellowing out from it was carried by the wind to the raging sea. The kids couldn't make out what was burning upon the high tower but they had a good idea that this was an execution ceremony and of who was on top.

On the wall opposite of the kids, there was painting that showed many magical creatures deteriorating and vomiting blood. On each creature was a black stain that was clearly the source of their pain and agony. In some fairies they could see creatures bursting from their bodies and transforming into a horrifying form that was mechanical but also organic. These demonic creatures were tall being covered in metallic armor, having two arms with swords in each hand, and a smaller pair of hands were in the center near their chests. These creatures flew in the sky and were killing those who weren't infected. Whatever pestilence the magical creatures were enduring it was one that they could clearly not endure.

The picture next to it showed what appeared to be a flower in the night sky bursting a huge ray of light, burning and incinerating all things magical creature of all kind. Pixies, giants, fairies, dragons, heck even a unicorn was in the picture. However at the bottom there were small animals that were not effected by the light's rays.

The final art piece in the gallery was similar to the first one Maleficent point them towards; that being the one with a cottage upon a hill, a tree nearby, and a castle in the background. But here the cottage was wore down, the castle in the distance was gone, and the only thing that wasn't any different was the tree with nobody sitting beneath it.

"I guess what goes around comes around" Charlene said from behind.

The kids then decided to enter the final room, which they would have walked in a square. However, the door didn't open.

"Finished already" Maleficent's voice asked from the other side.

"Yeah" Finn responded. "I think it's safe to say you have a quite a story to tell."

"I'm amazed. You actually have an imagination to piece them all together. You're going to need that talent of disbelief for where we're going."

Everyone had no idea what she was talking about.

"Anyway" Finn slowly said. "Why's this door locked?"

Maleficent answered, "I'm just covering my magnum opus."

Everyone looked to each other finding the irony in her sentence.

Finn push the door once again and it was open. There before them was Maleficent was sitting with her back turned to them, looking at the only art piece in the room. The art work was the largest they've seen, being almost 40 feet high and covering the entire width of the 60-foot wall.

Too bad is was encapsulated in a black field.

She turned to the kids and said, "Ah…just in time. I just finished chanting your sketches. I'm satisfied with your artistic talent Angelo. Do be the smart girl in the future and use your talent for real art and not to appease your self-indulgences."

"Uhhh…thanks I guess." Willa replied to the comment and not the insult.

"So if this is your magnum opus" Philby asked, "Then why are you hiding it from us?"

"Well how can something be a gift if it's not wrapped" Maleficent replied, thinking back to the days when Wayne wrapped his gift to her.

Looking back on the Sleeping Beauty art piece he had seen earlier, Finn asked "Is this gift of yours…magical?"

"Yes it is" she replied.

Everyone didn't feel good to where this was going.

"Is this a curse that's going to kill us" Charlene asked.

"Or makes us fall asleep for a long time" said Philby

"It can be either a curse or a gift depending on how you see it" she replied.

She then took out the drawings that Willa had drawn of them. The drawings then suddenly were on fire and Maleficent blew the ashes of the burning paper towards her magnum opus. The burning paper passed the black field and disappeared.

"What are you doing" Willa asked, slightly mourning the lost of her artwork.

"Only what's necessary for you to be one with the picture."

Finn as well as the others were confused to her statement. "To be one with the picture?"

"Yes, it's where we are going to dine and eat. It's for a special occasion."

The kids had no idea what she meant.

Knelling down and putting her hand on the marble floor, Maleficent imagined a particular symbol and it appeared upon the floor before everyone. The kids recognized the symbol and it was the DHI logo.

 _Why does this thing keep appearing_ , everyone said in their heads.

"It's the symbol upon which all magic was born from" Maleficent answered their mental question. "Now get together and stand on it."

Finn, Philby, Willa, Maybeck and Charlene did as she asks and they all stood upon the DHI symbol.

"Now relax and close your eyes."

The kids complied and Maleficent searched her memory to bring the picture to life. Her last art piece was of the place where she learned to accept her place in the new world. With the destination set she casted her magical spell and the DHI symbol illuminated brightly. The room was now empty with the kids and Maleficent disappearing.

* * *

Opening his eyes, Finn found himself in some forest that was…a painting? He noticed this type of style. It was the same used in the old Sleeping Beauty film. He felt as if he was within a drawing of the film.

"Whoa dude, what the hell just happen?"

Finn turned to Maybeck's voice and he jumped at the sight of seeing everyone as a cartoon! Looking at his hands they were animated like a drawing!

"Guys your all cartoons" Charlene said in disbelief before Finn could.

Willa looked at herself and to the others. "You're all just like I drew you. Your outfits are the same as they were on the papers." Looking at herself Willa was wearing red glasses, a short summer dress, and a denim jacket. Her hair was stylish, having a flowing style that ended in wavy curls.

Maybeck noticed his hair had grown and he now had dreadlocks. His outfit consisted of a high school varsity jacket, normal jeans, and high-quality Nike shoes. He appeared more like a senior than a freshman.

"Wow Wills. A little too much hair for my liking, but the jacket and the shoes fit me well."

Willa look to him and said, "I'm glad to hear that."

"Yeah well couldn't you have drawn me something a little more different" Finn asked from behind; wearing the usually T-shirt, cargo shorts, and tennis shoes.

Willa squint in a meme like fashion and said, "Sorry…I had to work on you in my last period class today."

Finn shrug his shoulders. "Nah it's okay. I really can't think of anything else really."

"Same here" Charlene looked at herself wearing what she expected. Her outfit consisted of a blank top, torn jeans, and colorful running shoes. Her long blond hair was in a ponytail, her right arm had a black arm band set around her bicep, and her left arm had an arm sleeve that stretched from the elbow to the wrist.

"I'm just glad you didn't draw me in some dress" Charlene smirked.

"I thought you like Disney Princesses" Maybeck said, remembering their old conversation.

"Uh…you think a big ball gown is made for the forest" she replied, reminding him where they were.

"Well I'm dressed for the occasion." Philby said from behind the two. His outfit consist of a buttoned shirt under a suiting vest, khaki pants, and hard closed lace shoes. His hair was had grown slightly, not as much as Maybeck's, and was wearing glasses even though he doesn't wear any.

Philby turn to Willa. "Why did you draw me like I was going to a dance or something?"

"I guess I just see a gentleman in you" Willa teased.

"Well isn't this adorable." A loud voice echoed through the sky. "Your outfits look perfect. You look like merchandise for Disney to sell."

Everyone looked up not knowing where the source of voice was coming from.

Maybeck asked to the sky, "God?"

"No Terrence."

Philby not being able to take it anymore yell to the sky, "Okay Maleficent where are you! What did you do to us?"

Maleficent's voice echoed in the sky once more as if it was divine. "I told you it was all to be part of the picture. And now you are. If you want to return to reality, then you'll have to wait on me."

Charlene in confusion asked, "So…are we dreaming…or are we…"

"No; those are your real bodies in my personal world. So please don't try to hurt yourselves."

Maleficent continued. "Follow the stone path laid before you."

"And where does it go" Willa asked.

Nothing was said for a few seconds until Maleficent replied, "A castle."

"You mean your spooky mountain castle" Finn asked.

"No Whitman. That life has ended for me." Maleficent replied back. "I found a new castle and feel that it's appropriate for today."

Philby asked, "What do you mean?"

"Find me and you will know."

The sky was then silent. Philby asked again and still no reply.

"I think she just hanged up on us" Charlene said.

Everyone only look to themselves, amazed to see that they were in an animation form. Around them was a forest that looked like a European tapestry with the brush so thick they could barely make out the sky. A stone path was laid before them and having nowhere else to go, the DHIs followed the trail.

After all they have seen and all they've experience; the DHIs have finally decided to give up on the workings of the world they grew up in. Everything that has happen in the last few days have destroyed all that they've learned. Finn once said that their situation was a crazy one, but now they all felt as if they were in a world of insanity. Maybe they were in Wonderland and they're just desperately trying to find the door out. Assuming there is a door.

"We have to be dreaming" Philby said from the back of the line. "We have to be. Just like when we're holograms at the park. This can't be the REAL us. This has to be a holographic dream or …something."

"Don't bother trying to make sense of this dude" Maybeck said in front of Philby. "I've given up trying to make sense of all this craziness after all the crazy things we've seen from Wayne and Maleficent."

Philby replied in frustration, "We'll excuse me for trying to find some logic in this sea of insanity!"

Everyone at the moment stop in their tracks and turned to Philby.

"I wouldn't bother" Charlene said, "My mother always told that that trying to find logic where there is none will drive you crazy."

Looking around herself at the beautiful forest and the small creak flowing next to them Charlene continued. "I just feel like I'm in Alice in Wonderland now. I think that is what's best for us to think."

"Your saying we just go down the rabbit hole" Philby asked.

Willa intervened saying, "I'm with her on this. The holograms, that pyramid, what Maleficent can do; I think it's best if we just let our imaginations do the rest."

"She's right" Finn said tossing his arms up, "I give up. I say we just go with the flow of whatever come and just go with it, because if I spend another minute trying to make sense of all this I'm going to lose my mind."

Hearing everyone around him, Philby's mind lost its will to think. He was now realizing that his intellect was meaningless in the grand situation they were in.

Maybeck, seeing the dismay on his friend's face, patted Philby on the back. "Sorry Dr. Phil, but it looks like you're going to have to get use to wearing a blue dress, a blonde wig, and being called Alice because you are in Wonderland now."

Philby looked to a small creek nearby and decided to walk to it. "I need to cool my head off."

Finn, Maybeck, Charlene, and Willa nodded their heads for not being able to get through his head.

But knowing he was a geek who wasn't one to get his cloths wet, Philby stop in his tracks and immediately turned around the to the group.

"Screw it" he said out loud.

Everyone look to him.

"Let's go down the friggin rabbit hole."

Finn turned his head to the stone trail. "You heard him guys. Let's roll."

* * *

 **AN: Finally after so long I've manage to give a hint of Maleficent's past in a Kingdom Keepers setting. I was hoping to share bits and pieces of Maleficent's fantasy life throughout the story but since the Keepers will not be interacting with her after the next chapter I felt it better to shed some light on the matter in this chapter. So let me share a few details into the making of this chapter**

 **The 1960's:When I read the Return series, all three books, I found it kind of criminal that the series didn't bathed in it's mid 1950's setting. Yeah it got it's detail in old Disneyland correct, but apart from a nod to a few cars the Return series never gave you that feeling that you really traveled back in time. So here I somewhat made a comprise of the Return series along with the Kingdom Keepers series dwelling into Maleficent's years of growing up in the modern world. This alone shows how much different this reboot story is compared to the original series. This chapter shows that the world of the Kingdom Keepers going beyond the parks with notable events from the 1960's being mentioned. The close call with the Cuban Missile Crisis, the birth of fast food with McDonalds, McCarthyism, and heck even the Beatles; all small nodes help build the setting of the chapter. Yes, Walt Disney was in fact someone who knew FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover during the Red Scare in Hollywood. This is a fact that I don't think Ridley Pearson would've touched upon because of it's political context in U.S. History. For me this connection was a gateway for Maleficent's character to be more than just a cartoon villain come to life. If you had a being that is not of this Earth and has potential powers that could advance your fight with a foreign power; would you want to lock that person up in a kid's theme park? NO! You want to get her out and study her! Apart from that what I also wanted to do with this chapter was something that I'm amazed no one has attempt to do. That being the relationship between Maleficent and her creator. While some may say that it's kind of offensive for me to write words into a deceased animator, I find it more offensive for a fictional character called Amery Hollingsworth to take credit for her creation in the books. MORE offensive is not to credit Marc Davis AT ALL in the Maleficent movie even though he is the guy who drew and created her for Disney! [I'm serious here. His name isn't in the end credits of the movie!] So as much respect as possible I wanted to books to expand upon Maleficent's character in relation with her creator and to show a more realistic side to her than her cliché villain movie behavior in Sleeping Beauty. There was one thing I wanted her creator to say, but that was cut from this chapter and will be in the next one which will be the last time I'll have a nonfictional character speak.**

 **Animated Keepers: Skipping to the end here I always wanted a realm where the Keepers can be in an animation form and in a way can co-exist with the fictional world of Disney instead of everything being live-action. I believe it would have been stronger for the books if there was the real world and within Disney is a fictional animated world where the Disney characters can escape. If the story was turn into a movie then this would work in colliding the two worlds. For this chapter I made that SOMEWHAT possible with a small world Maleficent has created for herself. What is it? That you'll have to wait for the next chapter. Sadly I have to say that there won't be any Disney characters in the next chapter because of the setting that is...forbidden in the REAL world.**

 **Maleficent's Life Story: Originally I wanted this chapter to be about how Maleficent has learned of our world, but after thinking I decide to instead let this be a chance to explore Maleficent's back story in a fast and imaginative way. At first I wanted the DHIs to be animated from the first drawing and then 'leap' from drawing to drawing witnessing events in Maleficent's fantasy life. Instead I opt with the story-by-artwork idea because I didn't want this chapter to be just exposition. I want you, the reader, to fill in the blanks of what the Keepers have witness. It should be better than a cliché 'boyfriend stabs me in the back' story that Disney has decided to give her. I won't say anymore of what the DHIs have seen because that would ruin the point of the choice I made while making this chapter. As for how it relates to the Kingdom Keepers; for this story I REALLY want it to be a story that stands strong on it's own instead of being a Part 1 story like the book series. There is a lot more that I wish to write but what comes first as an author is to make a good stand alone story first and if it does well can one think about doing a sequel! I'm pretty sure most books series focus on having a good first entry instead of being a 'what till the next book comes out' kind of deal. Here I want Maleficent to be a full character on par if not more than the Keepers.**

 **And that concludes Chapter 11. How was the chapter and what did you think of it? What worked? What didn't? Leave a review and let me know. The next chapter is one I've been preparing for a long time. Had to do so much research on the matter the same way Pearson did for the Disney parks. What am I talking about? Let's just say that while I was on vacation I finally went to the place I've always wanted to go as a kid. For me this place was my childhood castle that I've wanted to be on top of for as long as I can remember. Heck I wanted to go to this place long before I even thought of wanting to go to Disney World. This place was my first dream but when I got there it didn't come true.**


	12. Chapter 12: Kinsali

**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers, this is Proto back from the abyss. Been some time since the last chapter and I'm sure your wonder why it took so long on this chapter. Well, you see this chapter is 'special' in a very large way. The subject on the matter isn't on the characters or story of this Kingdom Keepers reboot but instead on setting. While writing this chapter I realized that this setting needed to be more than just a simple back drop for the characters to roam around; this place needed special treatment. I said in the last author's note that there was a place I dreamed of going to long before I thought of going to Disney World and that when I got there that dream didn't come true; well this here is that place and I hope that everyone who reads this particular chapter can remember the details and picture it within their mind. I know I have.**

 **There's two things I wish to share when it came to the making of this chapter that you should know before reading.**

 **The first is a small interview that a Kingdom Keeper fan had with Ridley Pearson when asked about why he chose Maleficent to be the lead villain 'so to say' for the Kingdom Keepers series. He said and I quote, "The fact that if you look around most lists, including my own, of horrible Disney Villains, she's always very near the top. She's a pretty bad person. And she's also, at least in my head, she's tied more to our world, then a lot of the other villains whom seem to be in their own world, or in their own castle, or in their own this. Maleficent just has always struck me as someone who you might walk around a corner and bump into." THIS I took into deep consideration when I began this reboot story. Having read many types of fan fiction on Maleficent, both the hero and the villain, I wanted the Maleficent in Project DHI to be the most connected to our modern world than any of the others. I didn't want a copy and paste of the Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty or Kingdom Hearts, which many Kingdom Keepers fans tend to do, but at the same time I didn't want to erase that magical tone of Mistress of All Evil or make her too modern that she would be unrecognizable to her animated counterpart. Also, I didn't want to humanize her to the point where she's relatable to the 'average' flawed person in the real world because Maleficent IS NOT an average flawed person.**

 **The second thing is a part of my childhood that is worth mentioning. Like Finn in this story, I too have a collection of VHS tapes of many Disney films, some of which were unheard of to many fans such as So Dear to My Heart, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, and The Spirit of Mickey; to name a few. There were two places I always watched these classics as a young kid growing up; my small apartment and my day care. Well along time ago, when I had to wake up at 5 o'clock in the morning as a kid, yeah believe that, I was left at my local day care while my family went to work. I was always the first kid to arrive and every day we watched a Disney movie, took a nap, ate lunch, played outside, and got picked up to go home. I have many fine memories of that day care, mostly watching Disney movies with many other kids. For some odd reason I can only remember watching Sleeping Beauty a lot. Yet on this particular morning there was something else I watched on the television that wasn't a Disney movie. Nope. And what I saw is something that will always take me back to being a kid the same way a Disney movie does.**

 **I share these two things because they both fit into this Disney setting that to me is no doubt the most sacred place in the entire Disney Universe. Not for it's relation to Disney but to the worlds of fantasy and reality when they collide. This setting, this place, where I cannot go but the Disney characters can is not only sacred but it is powerful. It's power is greater than anything in the Disney Universe and rules over all characters both good and evil. So where is this place? I can only say this.**

 **One day 15 year old Briar Rose in disobedience to her aunts went into a village festival where a man who had traveled far told the towns folk told tales of a Castle that ruled over all. This place was the tallest he had ever seen and that to stand atop it is to touch the very sky itself. Urging for adventure beyond her aunt's cottage, Rose left in the late night to explore the world across the sea. Going through her unknown father King Stefan's Kingdom, she came to King Hubert's kingdom by the sea. From there she hoped on a boat that lead to the Kingdom of Corona where she befriended Princess Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. From there Flynn motioned to a close friend Prince Naveen where he took her across the ocean, pass Devil's Bayou, to the city of New Orleans to meet his love Tiana. After a good time in the city Rose boarded a train to the North, passing by the rural lands of Widow Tweed and Amos Slade. Then she got onto a bus in the town of Middleton, pass Kim Possible's house, and up through the Tristate Area, and upon entering the land she could see it. Wearing a blue stripe dress and wide glass to blend into the crowd Briar Rose could see the Castle. The Castle of the World**.

* * *

Chapter 12: Kinsali

April 4, 1973

301 Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York, USA

3:00 P.M.

A man dressed in a formal suit and a woman in a long trench coat made their way through the doors and into one of the most luxurious hotels in Lower Manhattan. Not wanting to waste time, the two made their way to the receptionist's desk.

"Good afternoon sir" the front desk clerk greeted the man. "Do you have a reservation with us?"

"Yes; I do" the man said as he pulled out his badge and laid it on the table. It was an FBI badge with credentials. "I hope this makes the process go faster."

The front desk clerk's attitude changed as he quickly got the phone to call his manager about the visiting agent. After a minute, the clerk hung up the phone and with a smile said, "Welcome to the Waldorf Astoria."

"Thank you" the agent replied as he got his badge.

The woman by his side was tall but silent. The clerk curiosity asked, "And who might this elegant lady be."

The woman gave a smile to him and said in a young but elegant voice, "That my fair man is classified."

Respecting their privacy, the clerk handed them their keys and the two made their way to the elevators. Making their way to the top floor, the man and woman entered their high suite penthouse in which they reserved for months in advance.

"Alright Elanor, we are finally here" said the agent.

"Come now Alan" the woman replied. "You can call me by my real name now."

Feeling awkward at saying the absurd name out loud the man said, "Fine Maleficent; Davis arrived yesterday so he's already in town."

"You will address him as 'Mr." Davis" Maleficent said as she looked at the agent in discontent.

"Don't forget the rules we laid out" the agent pointed towards her heart. "If you try to escape or hurt anyone, that detonator in your heart will explode and you'll be back in a Disney park."

Knowing her disadvantage she had to rescind. "Understood."

She walked away from the man to open the balcony doors to reveal a clear view of the southern area of New York City. Not too far away in the distance was where her creator would meet her.

"Are you certain that they are the tallest" Maleficent asked her mutual acquaintance.

"Yes" the agent replied, "They just opened to the public earlier in the morning, but I manage to get only you and Mr. Davis a private ticket to the top of **The World**."

In her many years of living in the new world she had never seen a pair of towers so tall that their steel would collide with the clouds. It amazed her how such a thing could be made without the skills of the Builders, the giants, or even magic.

Stroking the silver bracelets in her hair, she manipulated the television to see what was on the local news. Unfortunately, the television popped up to her remind of the defeat.

The news anchor spoke with a picture of an airplane in the background. "With the last of the POWs backs from Vietnam and U.S. armed forces withdrawing from the country, the question to ask now is how long while South Vietnamese government last? Will the N.V.A. and Vietcong break the peace accord and head straight for Saigon or will South Vietnam surrender to the North given the weaken performance of its own ARVN force. Whatever the future may hold one thing is absolutely certain; the United States is out of Vietnam."

After years of fighting Mistress Au Co in the Apeiron and her children in the physical plane, Maleficent clenched her fist in anger. Never had she been on the losing side of a war, let alone a human war; even worse to the fact that those who lost found peace in a false victory dub 'defeat with dignity'. There is never dignity in defeat.

"What a waste" Maleficent snarled.

With her mind she switched the channels to see if there was any news in the city talking about the towers. Luckily for here, one channel was playing it's opening day benediction. At that moment she listened to the priest bless the towers to the High Yasalimari. "Oh God the creator and sustainer of the universe look with favor upon this new center of trade, of commerce, and of culture. Give guidance, protection, and of right judgement to all who work and live here."

* * *

(Present Day)

September 11, 2019 (Wed.)

Location Unknown

6:35 P.M.

The group continued to walk on the stone path through the tapestry forest, feeling like they were a Disney film that was self-aware.

"You know this reminds me of _Enchanted_ " Charlene suggested. "You know that one where the cartoon princess goes to real life New York City."

"Oh yeah I remember that one" Willa said in glee.

"Darn good movie for me" said Maybeck.

"You know I never got one thing about that movie" Philby said. "Why didn't the queen send her to Detroit? If you want to send someone to a place where happily ever after doesn't exist why not there?"

"No" Finn said sarcastically, "No. Not Detroit. Anywhere but Detroit."

"Speaking of which, any guesses to where the fairy send us to" Maybeck asked?

Everyone replied in silence as they took in the scenery around them.

The forest around them was so dense that they could barely see the sky and so low that the branches were at arm's reach from their heads. What was strange was how quiet everything was as there were no buzzing of insects or chirping of birds. The eerie silence was uncanny but the looming dread that surrounded the group was what would happen when they reach the 'castle' Maleficent told them earlier.

"Do you think if I hit my head on something birds will magically appear tweeting in circles around me" Maybeck asked in a comical sense to ease the moment?

"Don't try it" Charlene replied.

Then up front something caught Finn's eye. Along the side of the stone path was a large bell hanging from a wooden post covered in vines. The group stop out of a mystical feeling and pulled on the bells' rope to ring it. The bell's ring echoed loudly throughout the dense forest. Without saying a word, the group continue to walk along the path. It wasn't long till they could finally see a clearing in the distance.

"I think that's it" Willa said as she could make out the white cement payment on the ground.

Charlene look to Maybeck and asked, "You want to race?"

"Na" he replied, "I'm not that excited to see whatever castle Maleficent has in store."

The group then walked together towards the clearing.

"I hope this isn't some torn down castle with gargoyles all around it" said Maybeck.

"I wonder how it's going to look inside" said Charlene. "If it's anything like a fairy tale castle then I hope that it has a big ball room, with chandeliers, candles lighting the place; you know like something out of _Beauty and the Beast_."

"I say it will be more like the Cinderella Castle" Willa said from behind. "Not the park castle, but the castle in the movie, with wide spaces, being tall and grand. You know something that makes you feel small."

"I don't think it's going to be like that" Philby said from the front. "I think this castle isn't going to be from any movie."

Up front Finn was the first to exit out of the forest and almost instantaneously he froze in disbelief as he stared to the sky in awe. Philby, Charlene, Willa, and Maybeck behind him reacted the same way. What they looked upon wasn't a stone structure, but a steel building. At its base stood columns that resembled tridents, with their fork ends shooting upwards to the sky making the face of the building appear like a compressed vent filter. The building was square in its shape and it was so high that its top floor looked like a horizon in the sky. Nearby in the exact same shape and form was the building's twin.

Everyone had the same thought in mind. _This is no castle._

There before the DHIs were the Twin Towers of **The World** Trade Center. Standing like they were never destroyed.

"What the..."

Maybeck's words were cut off as a musical melody of a wind instrument filled the air with instant harmony. The group's attention quickly turned from the sky to the ground in which they were looking upon a wide opened plaza with a large circular water fountain with a golden sphere at its core. From the plaza they could see that the twin towers weren't side-by-side but that one was ahead of the other. The kids walked across the vast open space and could see that apart from the two towers there were no other buildings surrounding them. Walking around the fountain they found the source of the beautiful music.

Sitting on a bench was Maleficent in her old animation form playing a wooden flute, looking almost exactly as she did in Sleeping Beauty. She wore her black robes with a purple lining down the middle, however the rest of her body was different. Instead of having her devilish horns, her head was covered in her long black raven hair that was flowing in the wind. She wore no makeup and her skin was more of a natural tone than being green or white. It was odd for the kids to see a human looking Maleficent playing such a lovely musical piece in the presence of a building that has a dark meaning in the real world.

After playing the last notes, Maleficent put her wooden flute aside and looked to the five teenagers with a small smile. She didn't say a word to them.

"I didn't know you could play" Philby said quietly, surprise to her musical instrument talent.

"Yeah" Charlene said right next to him. "Nice tune."

"I appreciate the complements" Maleficent said in a voice that wasn't as old as her animated movie self. "What do you think of my castle?"

"Your castle?"

"Yes. Your people left it here in image and memory; that makes it mine."

There was then a long silence between the kids and the evil fairy with the only sound coming from the hard wind that was funneled between the two towers. All eyes turn to one of the towers with the kids in awe at their colossal nature and Maleficent looking at them in delight.

"Do you know what day it is" the fairy asked?

 _Obviously._

"You said we would see a castle earlier" said Willa, "In our world we call this a skyscraper."

Maleficent's finger motioned to the two towers. "Back then skyscrapers were called castles, and this here is a special kind of castle."

Looking at the buildings again, Willa asked "Why?"

"While it may be only a pair of buildings to your eyes, this place is one of divine providence. Greater than Mount Olympus. Greater than the High Courts of the Fae. This is the Castle of **The World** and his name is Kinsali."

The kids were still not knowing what to think of her words.

"Well this is something you don't expect." Maybeck raised his finger slowly, "Question. Where are we?"

Maleficent replied, "An Apeiron."

"What" Philby asked?

"An Apeiron" the fairy repeated herself. "It's a realm that is the birthplace of imagination, creativity, and fantasy. Here memory gives birth to existence and the laws of the physical plane don't exist."

"So basically, this is imagination land" said Finn.

"A simple way of putting it; but yes, that's what an Apeiron is." The fairy then explained, "You see right now, as we speak, there are millions of twin towers in the minds of millions of your people all of whom have a single image in mind. That single image manifest itself into a single entity in the Apeiron and that entity is **The World** …" She cut herself from finishing her sentence. "I say this to give you clarity."

The kids look the buildings above them, but Maleficent stroked the wooden flute she held with her finger.

"So that's how you were created?"

"Yes" the fairy replied to Finn. "But Mr. Davis and Walter's pen were merely a part of my creation. The magic that gave power to all of this is the same magic that molded these towers from the metal of the Earth."

The fairy then appeared to take something off the wooden flute she held. It was a metal ring and once putting it on her finger she then began to transform. Black mist surrounded her hair and turned them into solid horns. Her skin turned unusually pale and her green eyes turned a menacing yellow. Now she was in her true Sleeping Beauty form.

She then got up to walk across the large open plaza towards one of the tower's columns. She then placed her hand which bared her metal ring on the tower and the ring began to glow purple!

 _I am here Kinsali and I brought you guests tonight._

The kids in confusion made their way towards her in. Finn asked, "What are you doing?"

"Giving you passage" she replied as her eyes were closed, clearly in a mental state of concentration.

 _No, it's not her; but they are her children_.

A few seconds later, Maleficent said "Kneel on your knees."

"What" Finn asked?

"Kneel" she repeated herself. "He demands it."

Finn look to the others and node them to comply. All kids feeling embarrassed at the display took a knee down and bowed their heads.

"Now cover your ears and close your eyes."

The ringing of many bells filled the air as a strong gust of wind blew through the forest and towards the towers. Finn could feel in his stomach an inner force pulling his blood towards the skyscraper only a few feet away. The wind's power grew stronger and the only sound that could be heard were the rustling of leaves and the chiming of bells in the air. A brief humming sound grew from the buildings, making all five of the kids cover their ears for what was to come.

Suddenly from the towers above a blinding light turned the entire sky white followed by a defining boom!

"What the hell" Finn screamed out loud as everyone closed their eyes to the light!

The sound was as loud as thunder, but it wasn't an explosion. Instead it sounded like a synthetic horn belonging to a boat or train. The light and sound only lasted for a few seconds before the echo of thunder dissipate into silence. Opening their eyes, they were real once more! Their animated wardrobe was the same but everything around them changed from animation to live-action.

"What just happened" Charlene asked Maleficent.

Taking her hand off the building the fairy replied, "Apparently Kinsali want you to see him in his true form." She glanced at her glowing ring which slowly disappeared off her finger. Then her body was slowly beginning to transform back into her human self.

"Why did you bring us here" Charlene asked?

Maleficent turned to face the girl. "Because there are things that you must learn, and it will be important both in your mystery and for your futures."

She continued, "Now I'll leave you here while I get dressed into something more formal for dinner. We will be eating in the restaurant at the top of the first tower, once we are done then I'll take you back to the real world and you can go home."

The fairy appeared to perform a teleportation spell, but she froze as she could feel the uneasiness of the situation. "I know this is odd and unexpected. To see the towers and what you've been taught." Her voice turned heavy as she looked directly in the eyes of the five teenagers. "But I need you to realize something. I don't make this invitation for anyone and I don't make it lightly. After tonight you will never see this place again and it will be up to you if your time here is a gift or a curse."

She then casted her spell, disappearing from their sight.

The kids looked up, feeling so small compared to the twin towers looming over them. Willa, wanting to relieve the tension, let her inner Disney geek spill out. "Well…I guess we know why Giselle wasn't sent to Detroit."

Everyone turned to her, surprise to hear her try to attempt at comedy.

"That didn't help did it?"

Maybeck, looking at Willa, then look to the twin towers. "You know you should do a YouTube video on that. Make a dark Disney theory and get some big views."

The small speaker towers that surrounded the circular water fountain came on. "To all who come to this happy place: Welcome." The voice was of Walt Disney and each of the kids knew those words were from the opening day of Disneyland, but the audio went into static for a second. "Dis… land is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Dis... land is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all **The World**."

The speakers began to play music like the music played in the Magic Kingdom that would play on loops to keep guests in the entertainment atmosphere. As the carnival park music echoed across the towers, the DHIs looked up once again in a sense of trying to let go of logic as they agreed upon earlier. As they accept what was before them, all their minds began to feel a sense of wonder as they pictured two dead skyscrapers standing side by side deep in a forest devoid of any civilization. The feeling was magical in the senses that they really did feel like they were within a fantasy; where things that shouldn't be are real.

"Oh" Finn snapped his fingers; having a eureka moment. " _Oliver and Company_."

Philby, Willa, Maybeck and Charlene turned to him in confusion. "What?"

" _Oliver and Company_ " he repeated. "It's a Disney movie not many people know. It's the only animated Disney film to have the twin towers in them. If this is all because of Disney magic, then that's why they are here."

"Well I didn't know that" said Charlene as she and the others return their attention to the towers. "But since we are here we might as look around."

The five teenagers then turn to the tower on their left and naturally ran to it; going across the large plaza and the water fountain. After a quick jog the kids came to a halt at a small column near the entrance of one of the towers. Upon it laid the text:

 **2 World Trade Center. Observation Deck 107th Floor.**

"Did Maleficent tell us to meet her at a restaurant", Willa asked?

Charlene suggested, "Let's go find out where she wants us to be then we can split up and look around."

The kids then made a jog to the other building, which was clearly Tower 1, upon which they then had a clear view of the sky with nothing obstructing it. The forest surrounding made Finn suggest, "Hey, let's walk around to the back. You know to just see if we really are in the middle of nowhere."

With nothing to do, his friends agreed and followed him towards the forest.

Tilting his head as far as possible Philby said, "Just look at them guys. They look like they go on forever into the sky."

For a moment, they stop to see and agreed with Philby's words. With Tower 2 behind them, the kids turned the corner to the rear face of Tower 1 and were surprise to see how close the forest was to the building. With tree branches arching over the cement floor the kids were standing in a natural tunnel with sunlight shining at the other end.

A column ahead in tunnel caught their eyes so naturally the kids walked to it, but it was covered in vines from the dense forest which was only a couple of feet away from the base of the tower. Finn tore the vines down to reveal the column's text.

 **1 World Trade Center. Windows on the World 107th Floor Restaurant.**

This was it. Turning to their left they walk under the trident columns that ran across the base of the tower to enter the doorway. Finn opened the glass door first and like the gentleman that he was, allowed the girls entrance first. Willa and Charlene who entered touched a side of the door in silence to respect the building. Philby, Maybeck, and Finn on the other hand beat their chest with a clenched fist and touched the door in a more masculine form of silent respect.

The kids were now standing in the tower's lobby which was huge given its three-story ceiling. The sun's rays provided the only light into the building, making the shadows of the forest cover the lobby in darkness. The carpet upon the floor was royal red and span the entire lobby. Above was a second-floor balcony where flags from all over the world were hanging along its side. The trident columns outside gave the lobby's windows a gothic feeling as if one was looking at a stain glass window in a church. With everything having a European style the kids real did feel like they were within a piece of art.

Suddenly a phone began to ring behind the lobby's huge desk counter. Looking over the counter the kids could see the red light blinking on the incoming call.

Finn reached over the counter, pick up the old-style phone that had a curly cord attached, and slowly put it to his ear. "Um…hello."

"Salutations my dear" said a woman's formal voice on the other end of the phone. Only it wasn't Maleficent's.

"Who is this" Finn asked?

"First put me on speaker so your friends can join the conversation."

Picking up the rest of the phone and laying it on the desk counter Finn press the speaker button to the phone machine. Having seen old movies, Finn then hung up the phone to let the person on the other side speak through the speaker.

The voice on the other side ask, "Can you hear me Lawrence, Dell, Charlene, Isabella, and Terrance?"

Everyone froze in terror.

Finn asked again, "Who is this?"

"The wisp who's been guiding you" the woman's voice replied.

That didn't fit with Philby. "Who are you?"

"My name is Elvira" the lady on the phone answered. "Maleficent doesn't want me to be talking to you, but I've known her for a long time and I find no danger in sharing a few details that she herself doesn't wish to say."

"Are you like a deleted Disney Villain or something?"

"Of course not! Maleficent would rip my throat out if I even spoke to those Overtakers."

The kids looked at each other finding the statement odd. Willa asked, "Why?"

"Have you not wondered why you've haven't seen her pet raven Diablo?"

The thought never occurred to the kids until now. Maleficent did have a pet raven, yet they haven't seen it.

"Did you see Maleficent's artworks earlier" Elvira asked?

"Yeah" Finn replied.

"Then surely you should've seen me and my social time with her."

Suddenly a wave of questions fills up everyone's minds.

"Wait are you Maleficent's friend" Willa asked?

"She would prefer to call me an acquaintance, but to me she is my dearest companion."

"So why aren't you here with us? You know as a cartoon or something?"

"Again, Maleficent doesn't want me to be there with you. All that she can do for me is give me a voice in the form of a wisp." The woman continued, "I think the powers your holograms carry should be with you in this place. I'll have to get back to you later. Someone has to give Maleficent an opinion on her dress."

Like that the line went dead and the lobby was silent. Philby pick the phone up out of blind hope but the woman was gone.

"Dress" Philby asked in confusion?

"I guess it must be a special night for her" said Charlene.

Curious to see if the woman was correct Finn reached for the counter and without thinking his hand passed through. It was as if he was a DHI but awake! With no resistance of any kind his hand passed through the counter like he was a hologram before returning to a natural physical state.

"I can't believe it" Finn said to himself as the others witnessed.

Philby then touched his wrist, curious to see if the built in Artemis system was also available. Touching is wrist a black bracelet band conjured on his arm and like their DHIs in the real world the bracelet projected a holographic display. "Well I guess we have something to make our time here a little more entertaining."

Without saying a word and feeling in a hypnotic trance, Finn walked along the red carpet of the tower's lobby and the others followed. They walked across the entire square lobby of the tower until coming to an escalator going down. Running on curiosity the kids made their way down the escalator going underground. To their left was a wall of revolving doors with text above it spelling out **World Trade Center** **Mall** and at the far end, beyond the tower's footprint, was the sign **Parking Garage**.

"There was a mall here" Charlene said surprised?

The kids made their way through the revolving doors and found themselves within the halls of an underground shopping mall. They stood at a right angle turn with a coffee shop stationed in front of them, at the corner was high style fashion store, and adjacent to them was a Citibank. Near the kids was an old newspaper station that used to take in coins for newspapers; back in the day when all news was print. In the case they could see the newspaper date: September 11, 2001.

Finn look to his friend and said, "I think were safe here, so if you all feel like splitting up I'm cool with that."

"That's fine by me" Charlene said.

"I'm with her on that" said Willa.

"If we keep in touch, I say okay" said Philby.

"Just be up at the restaurant before supper begins" Maybeck reminded.

Finn nodded to their agreement. "Alright then. If anything comes up just use your com tab and if we get a phone call like we did in the lobby upstairs, then try to share it."

"Gotcha" everyone said together.

Like that the group split up with Charlene and Maybeck going together down the adjacent hall, and Philby along with Willa down the hall in front of them; leaving Finn by himself.

 _I guess I'm on my own._ Finn turned around to walk back to the escalator, but not before the parking garage caught his eyes.

Walking through the doors Finn found himself not in a garage but instead a dark cave. Destroyed cars and mountains of rubble littered the cavern and deep in the center was a huge hole in the ground with light dripping down into it.

"What the hell?" Finn said quietly to himself as he carefully made his way through the cave to the large hole. Upon reaching the edge he could see that above him was a crack to the surface with a little sunlight breaking through. Along the crack was concrete covered in moss hanging by the bent steel rods that supported them. Water tricked through the concrete and caught the sun's rays; making a trickling water fall that was carrying the sunlight down to the deep cavern below.

Finn brought up the Artemis to turn on his night vision ability and look down into the hole. Through the blue spectrum of light that covered his vision he could see that the hole was in fact a large opening nearly six stories down and having an opening of 30 or 50 feet. Within it were the destroyed cars and crumbled cement, with only steel beam columns rising from the bottom up. Finn had always been an adventurous spirit when he was young, but he knew better than to go down there.

Turning around to go back into the tower, Finn's eye caught a white arrow upon the pavement. Knowing it was a traffic arrow that could lead to an exit, he followed the highlighted path traversing destroyed cars and boulders of concrete. After a minute of walking to the far end of the cave, Finn found himself at the base of a ramp leading up. Reaching the top, he could see upon turning the corner a forest at the end of tunnel with a black sign on the ceiling that reading: **EXIT**.

Finn at that point decide to turn off his night vision, but before putting away his Artemis his curiosity urged him to try something. He pulled up his Scanner tab and click it to emit his blue scanning ray. Projecting the ray upon the wall Finn was surprising to see his Artemis tab message saying, **Dark Data Downloading.**

 _What the heck is dark data?_

After a minute the message then said **Park Map Complete.**

 _I_ _guess Wayne wanted us to explore the other parks later._

Clicking his map Finn was impressed to see that the whole Trade Center complex was on display. He could see that the others were still underground with Philby and Willa being near Tower 2 and Maybeck alongside Charlene still walking in the mall.

As he walked to the forest at the end of the tunnel Finn pulled up his com tab and said, "Guys, if you use your scanner you'll have a map of the towers and all."

"I got you mate" Philby replied.

"Thanks for the info" Charlene replied as well.

Once outside Finn looked back at the tunnel leading to the garage with its entrance being covered in forest and vines. Now it looked like a true cave. Climbing over the opening, Finn could see through the thick forest to the base of one of the towers and began to make his way through.

* * *

The Mall

7:00 P.M.

Charlene hung up on Finn as she along with Maybeck continue their stroll in the underground mall. Recently the two had passed a large row of escalators that lead down to the subway and were now coming across what appeared to be a Warner Bros. Store out of all things.

"Oh my God it's the Messiah!" Maybeck shouted sarcastically as he kneeled before a golden statue of Bugs Bunny.

Charlene looked behind him and said, "Cool it Donnie. Rabbit Jesus isn't going to come to life."

"Hey, you never know" Maybeck shrugged his shoulders as he got up.

The two then made their way down another hall. The mall was an underground maze with the mall having turn after turn and nothing but intersections.

While walking Charlene's mind felt it was right the right time. "Hey Terry?"

"Whoa" Maybeck said up front. "Why call me by my first name? Something special?"

"Kind of" Charlene shrugged. "It's been two days since those guys shot you and I just want to say thanks. You know, for saving my life."

Maybeck felt slightly embarrassed to see her talk to him so softly. "Come on now, don't go soft on me. I was just doing what my Aunt Jelly thought me. If there's a special girl worth protecting you protect her with your life."

"I'm I _that_ special girl?" Charlene asked in both a questioning and suggestive manor.

Now he felt more embarrassed. "Well…not like that…I mean I would do it for you even if I didn't know you but…"

Charlene then quickly kissed Maybeck upon his cheek, making him freeze instantly.

"That was very brave of you Terry" she said. "Don't ever tell yourself otherwise."

"Yeah" he nodded as this was the first time he had ever been kissed by another girl. "It's cool."

Charlene could feel the awkward sensation growing in her. "Well…I'm going to go on ahead and look around."

"Sure. Sure." Maybeck nodded as he too had that awkward feeling.

"Okay."

As Charlene walk down the hall, Maybeck stood still as a statue. Once she was out of sight, the glee shot through him like an adrenaline rush.

"Oh, hell yes" Maybeck whispered quietly as he joyfully jumped. Once he calmed down an electronic store across the hallway caught his eyes. Entering the store Maybeck's could see something at the far end that caught his interest.

"Well I'll be." Running to the back of the store Maybeck found himself standing before an old-style boom box. For black kids like himself this wasn't just history it was treasure. Now all he needs now are tapes to play. To his side Maybeck could see Walkman players and next to them were the old-style cassette tapes. Picking a tape at random Maybeck looked upon the tapes plastic container that read: **1980 HITZ!** He then clicked the eject button on the boom box, placed the tape in player slot, and closed it shut. With anticipation peaking at the tip of his finger Maybeck then press the play button and turn up the volume.

From the box's large speakers exploded a tune that Maybeck's ears instantly recognized. A beat that was to one of his favorite songs from his favorite singer. The song's name: **_Billie Jean_**.

* * *

Main Lobby

Floor 1

Tower 2

7:05 P.M.

Reaching the top of the escalator, Philby and Willa made their way out of the underground mall and into the lobby of Tower 2. The setting was pretty much the same as the tower they had entered prior.

The ringing of a phone call immediately echoed across the empty lobby. This must be the return call the woman mentioned earlier.

"Willa get the phone" Philby asked her to do as he pulled up his Artemis to call the others. "Hey guys we got ourselves another call."

Willa pick up the phone and clicked on the speaker button before putting the phone down. Philby, with his com channel open, rested his forearm near the phone for the message to carry over to the others.

"You picked up. Good." The same woman's voice spoke through the phone's speaker. "I see that she was modest enough to take you to Lord Kinsali; that's an odd move on her part."

Finn's voice came out from the com channel. 'Phone lady what is…"

"Elvira" the woman corrected him.

"Okay Elvira" Finn corrected himself. "Why doesn't you call this place what it is; **The World** Trade Center?"

Elvira chuckled to his question. "If I called my Lord by his true name then I would die a painful death and if Maleficent called him by his true name then she would give _you_ a painful death. The power of **The World** is a power she doesn't wish to reveal to you children. Yet."

Maybeck then asked, "No offense lady but what is Maleficent trying to play something on us?"

"What do you mean?"

"She brought us here because it's 9/11. We know what happened to these towers. And I'm pretty sure we are here because of that."

"You are somewhat correct boy." The phone woman continued, "The answers that you seek lie before you. All you must do is explore and they will come to you. I have to warn you Maleficent doesn't just freely share her past, so do expect to pay a price of some kind after each new discovery."

The phone suddenly went silent, leaving the kids to now chat.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm willing to go on a little faith here and pay whatever price is needed to learn about who we're dealing with. She did after all said she wouldn't harm us today" Finn said to the others on the com. "Agree?"

"Agree" everyone said through the channel.

"Okay. I'm in Tower 1, just about to go up the elevator to the restaurant. You guys should really go scope out the roof. I mean we're in a skyscraper for crying out loud."

Like that Finn went off the channel. Then Charlene said, "Hey Philby."

"Yeah" he replied.

"Come to the waypoint I'm setting. I just found something that I think will make a geek like you smile."

A blue line shined upon the floor leading down the escalators back to the underground mall.

"Well, I guess I'll go see what she's talking about" Philby said as he made his way back downstairs.

However just before he left Willa on her own she said, "Dell, hold on."

Using his first name meant something. "What?" When he turned to see her, he was surprising to see her looking as shy as she was the day they met on the plane.

"I…umm…" she tried to find the words. "I never had a chance to say thanks. You know for…that night…"

"There's no thanks needed" Philby quickly replied.

"Were you afraid" she asked.

Philby was about to reply, but his words were quickly extinguished. "It was nothing. Now gone on to the observation deck, I'll catch up with you later. Alright?"

She felt it best to end the conversation. "Yeah. Sure. Okay." She then quickly left his view, taking a nearby stairwell that lead to the lobby's balcony area.

Philby, shaking off his thoughts on her, followed the holographic lines on the floor to Charlene's waypoint. Going down the escalators Philby was surprise to see that the line didn't go to the mall but to a door leading to the tower's core. Walking through it Philby found himself in a hallway like the utilidors in the Magic Kingdom, only here they were small as an office building setting should be. He continued his way down the hall until he came across a door which said: **Operations Control Center**.

 _This looks interesting._ Remembering that he has his DHI powers, Philby walked through the door and found himself staring at a room which housed large computers systems. The old-style setting combined with the blinking lights made him feel like he stepped onto the bridge of a Star Trek ship. There before him was Charlene.

"Satisfied?"

"Oh yeah" Philby said with a smile on his face. Then an antique caught his eye. "A COMPAQ? I thought nobody used cathode ray tube computers anymore?"

"They don't" Charlene noted. Clearly the geek within him was taking over his spirit.

"Oh? Right" Philby said in embarrassment.

"I can tell you know computers?"

"Of course. My parents are computer engineers for Mesriya, the same people who helped Wayne with our holograms. Remember?" Philby turn to look back at the computer, or should he say monitor. "My parents have a Compaq Portable in my house, you can call it a technological antique. It's what got them interested into computers in the first place. First there was COMPAQ, then then they got bought out by HP, which then got bought out by Mesriya."

Suddenly there was knocking on the door. "Hey guys? You mind opening the door for me? I got my hands full."

Opening the door for Maybeck, Charlene was surprise to see him carrying a large boom box on his shoulder and a bag full of small tapes in his hands

"Thanks Charlie" he winked.

She rolled her eyes to his pride. "Don't let that kiss get to you hot shot."

Philby didn't need to hear that. "Hey Donnie, is that stereo?"

"It absolutely is" Maybeck replied looking at the large computer room. "So is this the hub that runs the towers or is this the bridge of the Enterprise."

Philby's eyes widened with glee as he asked Maybeck in shortness of breath, "You know Star Trek?"

"I came across an episode or two for one of its 1980's series. Real fascinating stuff."

 _Nerds._ Charlene thought.

Suddenly in a corner at the far end of the room a phone started to ring. Seeing that the boys had their personal treasures in hand, Charlene pick the phone up and said, "Hello."

"HELLO" shouted an overly jovial voice which made Charlene push the phone away from her ear for a second!

"What was that" Maybeck asked in slight shock.

Charlene immediately put the phone on speaker. The voice then asked, "You kids listening? I hope your listening."

The woman's voice was from a different person as this one was too jovial than the more tamed woman earlier.

Philby asked, "Who is this?"

"Old friend number two" the woman on the phone replied. "I see Maleficent has put you in that painting of those towers she praises about once a year. She must have a liking to you if she's showing you our Lord Kinsali."

The kids merely stood silent, not really having anything to say.

"Anyway" the woman continued, "I'm just here to lend you on a little secret."

"And that is" Philby asked?

"If it isn't too late, get someone to the top floor on the observation deck. You'll see one of Maleficent's cherished memories. So just go up and..."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING ALEESA!?"

"Uh oh" the jovial woman said quietly.

The woman whom shouted continue, "What have you told them!"

"Oh, don't be so serious…" A physical conflict could be heard in the background, sounding like the two were beating each other up.

"Damn it" the serious woman said as the commotion settled. "Maleficent is going to be upset about this."

"Stern bit..." the jovial woman said quietly.

"BE SILENT!"

The calm woman's voice then came into the conversation. "Calm yourself Nayama, Maleficent wants Lord Kinsali to share her memories."

"What? To these strangers?"

"Don't question me on the matter. Now hang up that phone. You've probably scared the young ones."

The phone call then ended leaving Charlene, Maybeck, and Philby taken back in awe to the sudden drama on the phone. Unfortunately, none of their Artemis coms channels were open, meaning Finn and Willa didn't hear the conversation.

"Well I guess we know we have three callers" Charlene said.

"Yeah" Maybeck nodded, "One too joyful, one too angry, and one just right."

"God knows how the hell Maleficent befriended them" Philby said from behind.

Charlene then clicked on her Artemis to check where Finn and Charlene were, hoping one was near the observation deck high above them in Tower 2. Hoping to find out what the woman was talking about.

* * *

Top of **The World** Observation Deck

Floor 107

Tower 2

7:12 P.M.

After her failure of expressing thanks to Philby on his bravery, she dashed to the 2nd floor where she found a small 'photo shot' area near a ticket booth; which was where the souvenir photos would be sold to guest who went up. She then crossed a bridge that transverse the lobby and went into the core of the building where the observation elevator was located. Within a matter of seconds, she had gone from the second floor to the highest floor, or at least as high as the elevators could take her. Willa had never in her life ridden an elevator that had gone so fast in such a short time frame.

The doors to the huge elevator open to a colorful hallway that hung posters to Broadways shows such as Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, and the Lion King. Reaching the far end, she found herself in a massive hallway in which the floor looked like a piano keyboard, with the windows of sunlight laying out each key. Gazing out the window she was immediately taken over in shock and awe to how high she was. The plaza's large water fountain looked like a small puddle from above. Beyond that was only forest, bodies of water, and a slightly curved horizon line with the sun coming down. It was the most tranquil view she had ever seen in her life. If only she had her sketchbook to save this view.

Then something in the distance caught Willa's eye. Something that laid on the horizon that wasn't natural. Blocking out as much of the light as she could, Willa was surprise to see what it was.

A castle with flying banners upon its spires.

Willa took the image in mind and tried not to think, only wanting to be one with the picture she was in. She then continued her exploration of the indoor observation deck. Within the large empty hall were shoulder wide windows with special railing nearby in which visitors could lean or sit upon the edge of the building. The ceiling and floor were so white and clean that the reflecting sunlight was blinding.

Nearby to her right was an escalator leading to the top but that could wait.

Turning a corner Willa was surprise to discover an old-style pizzeria in the fashion of a New York subway station with the sign: **Sbarro, New York's Favorite Pizza Joint**. The joint was only five steps lower than the rest of the floor and above it shined colorful neon lights. Willa at that moment was sad looking at the empty lines to the pizza joint with empty chairs and tables nearby. At that moment, she could see at the far corner a view of the first tower which had only a tiny black TV mast no more than two stories high upon its roof. This meant she must be in the tower that has the large antenna at the top.

The bracelet on her wrist started to blink and so Willa pulled up her Artemis, expecting that one of the others had a call to share.

It was Charlene. "Hey, Willa. Finn. Are any of you on the observation deck?"

Before Willa could reply, Finn replied first. "No. I'm think I'm in some transit floor. I got in a small elevator and it only went up to Floor 44. There must be a few mini-elevators for traffic. This is one big building."

"Two" Charlene corrected.

"Guys" Willa said getting back to Charlene's question. "I'm on the observation deck. Is there something wrong?"

"No" Charlene replied. "We just had another call from another lady on the phone. She told us to check the top floor as fast as possible. Something about Maleficent's memories."

"Okay then; what am I looking for?"

"I don't know. Something out of the ordinary."

Willa then quickly ran down the long hallway, searching for something out of the ordinary. After turning every corner of the building, she found herself back in the hall she first entered with the escalator nearby.

Seeing that it leads to the roof, she made her way up the steps of the tight escalator and pass large windows that gave a better view of the land. Once reaching the top she found herself in a small blue room with a revolving door to her side. Going through the door and walking up another escalator, Willa was outside with a clear blue sky surrounding her. An elevated walkway laid squared on top of the tower with its deck painted blue and the railings chalk white. To the inward side of the deck laid benches with glass windows of some kind behind them.

To her surprise, there was no antenna on the roof, meaning both towers had clear roofs with barely anything on them.

It was at this moment that Willa could see that sitting on a bench in the middle of the walkway was Maleficent, wearing an old-style dress and having a 1960's hair style that was of high estate. She was only silent, looking at the horizon with no sense of direction.

Walking with caution, Willa asked politely "Excuse me but…didn't you tell us you would be in the other tower?"

Maleficent remained still, like she completely ignored Willa's question. Stopping three feet from her Willa noticed that something was off. Maleficent's body was outlined in a purple hue like the blue DHI holograms when they cross over. Remembering what Charlene said earlier about memories, Willa quickly pieced it together and called the others.

"Guys, I just found something. It's a hologram of Maleficent just sitting here on the top floor. She's just looking at the view."

"Is there anything else" Philby asked.

"Maybe we missed something" Maybeck suggested.

"No way" Charlene denied. "I think that Willa is just looking at a recording of Maleficent's memories."

"Just keep watch on her Willa" said Finn.

The fairy's hologram began to move slowly. Looking around herself, not even sensing Willa's presence, Maleficent pulled up the skirt of her dress revealing a case of some kind at the end of her leg stocking.

"Hold it guys, she's doing something" Willa said to the others.

Unlocking the small case Maleficent pulled out a paper that was folded in a protective plastic and carefully began to unfold it. Willa came across her back to see what was on the paper and glancing at it she could see that it was an animated drawing of Maleficent with three signatures signed at its bottom.

"You're late" Maleficent said out loud.

Willa jump in surprise, only to hear a quiet and tamed voice from behind.

"Now come on. You know I'm too old to move about."

Turning her head, Willa found herself looking at an old man who was mostly bald; wearing a shirt with a tie and carrying his coat upon one of his arms.

Willa quickly said to her friends, "Everyone, just listen to what's going on. Maleficent is talking with some old man." And from there she allowed the memory conversation play out.

Maleficent put the drawing back in its place.

"I see that Wayne hasn't given you a new drawing" the old man asked.

"It's not his call to make" Maleficent replied. "Disney never gave instructions of what to do with me in case he died."

Willa look to the old man, realizing that this old man was her animator and creator.

"I always told Walter to lay off the smoking" the man took a deep breath. "I'm sure he's up there drawing something for the angels."

Maleficent turn the man and said with graciousness, "Please sit down. It has been a long time."

The man complied as he took a seat near the evil fairy. It was silent for a moment as Willa took the image to mind of Maleficent and her creator sitting side by side on top of the twin towers of **The World** Trade Center.

"So how is Wayne" asked the old man.

"He is broken" Maleficent replied. "The peace to our war is nothing short of a defeat and he knows it. His companions are dead, and his lover has left him because she claims that he wasn't there to hold her."

The old man gave a sigh. "If only I was there to help him when he got home."

"If home doesn't care for Wayne after war then no one can help him."

The old man let out an even deeper sigh to the harsh truth.

"So then…how is the Magic Kingdom and Disney World? People say it's just as magical as Disneyland."

Maleficent's fists quickly flinched. "Of course, they do. They're the same people who wished for their damn 'peace'. What do you expect from those who chant love and not war?"

The old man didn't reply and instead turn to see the setting sun upon the orange horizon.

"Is that it" Charlene asked through the radio?

"No" Willa replied, "I think there is more."

After a minute of silence, the old man was the first to speak. "It is beautiful up here isn't it?"

Maleficent didn't reply as she continued to look upon the horizon without direction. The old man didn't seem to mind.

"May I ask you something" she asked her creator.

"Of course."

It took a moment for Maleficent to speak. "What is freedom?"

The old man looked surprised. "Why do you ask?"

"Is that not what Wayne went to war for? Is that not what this country praises above all else? Is that not your dream for me?"

"Okay then" the old man laid his coat upon his lap. "First, what is freedom to you?"

"To not be a prisoner to anything or anyone" she replied quickly. The strong tone in her voice made it clear that was what she truly believed.

The old man shook his head in disappointment. "If you think that is freedom then you are wrong."

She turned to face him. "Then what is it" she asked demandingly?

Her creator replied by saying only one word. "Choice."

Her face changed into one of curiousness. "Please explain."

"Freedom isn't about escaping something, it's about finding who you are by yourself. It has nothing to do with the past, memories, or even the world; it's all about what you want and what you do."

Maleficent rubbed her forehead in frustration. "And what if I come to a choice in which I cannot decide?"

"Then you have only yourself to blame" the old man replied in a stern voice. "There will always be hard choices for you to make and I can see why, but just because they are difficult doesn't mean you shouldn't decide. Some choices will lead you to where you need to be, and others will make you lost, but all that really matters is that those choices were yours alone."

She chuckled to his answer for a few seconds before calming down. "Your words never seize to amaze me."

"I only hope that it is enough."

Maleficent then turn her attention to the horizon without direction. Then the old man took something out from his coat. It was a wooden flute; the same one she played from down below. "Do you mind playing that old melody?"

The fairy took the flute and with her long fingers she began to play the same calming melody from before. It was then clear to Willa why Maleficent picked this place for them. Her hologram and the old man started to fizzle in static.

Maleficent's ended her song by smiling peacefully and looking at the sunset once more. "Your right. It is beautiful up here."

The old man joined her in seeing the view, saying one last line before the holograms faded away, "Yes. It really is."

The recording of the memory was over, and Willa was by herself on the observation deck on the roof.

Yet that moment didn't last too long as Charlene came up the escalator to the roof. "Was that it?"

"Yeah" Willa replied to Charlene and the boys on the Artemis. "That's the end of it."

Charlene's intention was to see Maleficent and her creator, but since she missed it she look at the view to appreciate the setting sun on the horizon. The sight was indeed beautiful. "Well I guess we know why she likes this place."

Then she took notice of the roof. "Hey, shouldn't there be a big antenna on top of one of the buildings?"

"Yeah why" Philby asked Charlene?

"Because there's no antenna up here or the other tower."

"What about the land" Finn asked? "What do you see from up there?"

She then replied with everything in her view. "Well we're completely surrounded by forest, there are snowy mountains in distance, a sea way out there, and a whole lot of castles."

"Castles" Maybeck asked?

"Yeah" Willa said as she could see the stone buildings out in the distance. "She's right. The landscape is everything. Seas, mountains, plains, forests; you name it we got it."

"Well then, I guess that all folks" said Maybeck. "Let's enjoy out time here while we can."

Everyone agreed with him on that and like that the radio went silent.

"You know I've never been on a building this high" Charlene said as she rested her arms on the railing; enchanted by the dreamlike landscape around her. "You think this is heaven?"

"I don't know about that" Willa said in honesty. "But I've got to sketch this when we go back to the real world."

The two girls stood silently as they observed the various landscapes around them. The silence was broken by Willa as she asked Charlene "How's Maybeck doing? You know from getting shot."

"He's okay. His shoulder looked okay to me. I gave him a kiss to say thank you."

"What!"

"On the cheek" she clarified calmly.

"Oh" Willa took a deep breath. "I won't go that far in saying thank you but okay."

"So how did you thank Philby?"

She was then taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"I know Finn's okay like Maybeck, but I think Philby was willing to risk his life to see you escape. Am I right?"

She was. "How could you hear him during all of that? The boys were shot, we were about to be killed, and yet you heard that?!"

"Well did you thank Philby" Charlene persisted?

"Well…I…said thanks and he said it was nothing."

"Really" Charlene look to Willa is disappointment. "That's it?"

"Well what do you expect me to do?"

"Tell him how brave he was. About how selfless he was. A message from the heart. A hug. You know something."

"Philby's a geek, I don't think he's one for soft talk and hugs." Willa crossed her arms, saying "It's not that I don't appreciate what he did it's just… you know. I don't want to make it look like we are… I don't want him to have that and I'm sure he doesn't want it for me."

Charlene nodded and said, "I see what you mean. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. No hard feelings."

Wanting to change the subject, Charlene turn to the scenery telescopes that were typical for tourists in scenic viewpoints. Looking through it she was pleased to see a magnified landscape and not a black out lens that needs to be opened by a coin. "Well at least we don't need quarters."

The two girls then went about their time looking at the different edges of the square shape building with a different landscape in each view.

A sign on the railing of the edge spelled **West** and upon the horizon was the sunset with the orange hue growing across the sky. Through the telescope lens on the West edge Charlene could see a castle like the Cinderella Castle with high spires and flying banners. To the left of the castle was a large fortress that had high walls and a large royal house its center. To the right was a huge lake that had an island castle in the middle of it.

Walking to the **North** edge facing the other tower, Willa look through the scenic telescope to see snowy mountains. A thick fortress that was embedded in one of the mountains catching her eyes easily because it's colossal size. At the base of the mountains were villages and small castles which in retrospect looked like a medieval city. She could see in the far background a castle that consist of two 'icicle' towers and between them grew a large winter evergreen tree.

Passing by Willa and towards the **East** edge Charlene could see that in the distance was a green plain with a European castle in the middle of the flatland. Through the scope she could see the rolling hills and small rivers that cut through the plains with very small villages laying upon their banks. Upon the horizon was the dark skies of the night with the large crescent moon above.

The girls eventually passed by the exit escalator on the East Edge to the **South** edge. From there they could see a dune desert set along a blue crystal sea in which another fortress style castle was set upon a branching peninsula. Along the sand dunes and the peninsula were small towns and villages that got more condense the closer they were to the castle. Out at sea they could make out a colossal island but looking through the telescope they realized it was the huge castle that was in Maleficent's gallery.

Despite see so many castles across the different landscapes, none of them appeared like the castles of the Disney movies. The only thing all of them had in common were that they existed in different realms and flew banners at their highest point. Looking directly up into the sky the girls could see a familiar Disney image that they remember from _Peter Pan_. It was the second star to the right, powerfully shinning over the realm and the twin towers.

"Hey, I'm going to head on downstairs and use the stairs to get up the other building" Charlene said to Willa.

"Are you sure about that? Climbing over 100 stories is going to be hard" Willa said.

"Relax. I can handle it" Charlene said as she made her way to the exit escalator on the East edge. "Besides I want to know how it felt. Going up if you know what I mean."

Willa did. "Yeah, okay. I guess I'll see you at dinner."

"Sure thing."

* * *

Windows on **The World** Restaurant

Floor 107

Tower 1

7:25 P.M.

After his getting on a third elevator, Finn had finally reach the highest floor of Tower 1. He hoped that he would be able to reach the roof like Willa but first he had to check on the restaurant. When the doors to the elevator opened, Finn found himself looking at a hallway with extravagant décor, marble walls, and a flamboyant atmosphere. Opposite of the hall were three elevators much the same as on his side. At one end of the hall was a pair of closed wooden doors from which he tried to open with no avail. He then tried to use his DHI powers to pass through but only failed as his body was forced back from the doors.

He pulled up his radio and said, "It's a no-go on the restaurant. It's locked, and I can't get through with my hologram. Looks like we are going have to wait."

"We gotcha" Maybeck replied. "Oh yeah…I'm going to try something with the PA system here on the bridge…"

"Control room" Philby corrected from the background.

"Yeah. I'm going to try and see if I can play some music."

"Music" Finn asked?

"Yeah I got a boom box here and a few tapes. It'll be nice to break the silence once and awhile."

Finn then pulled up his Artemis map of the tower to set a waypoint upon the roof. A blue line then appeared upon the floor and so he followed it. Turning around he went pass the elevators and to an intersecting hallway. His attention was then aimed at the emergency exit doors on one side of the hall with each one being meters apart and having signs reading **Stairwell A** and **Stairwell C**. The blue pulse that directed him to the roof instead pointed Finn to a small hallway. Running to the opening, Finn followed the blue line through the tight and narrow hallway. He then came to contact with a door with a sign saying **Roof Access.**

Suddenly a nearby phone near the door began to ring. Finn called to others. "Hey we got another call." He then picked up the phone and asked, "Hello?"

"Hello there" a mature voice said from the speaker. "What did you see?"

"And you are?"

"I am Nayama, Maleficent's first teacher" the woman replied. "One of many she had learned from across the far corners of the world."

"Okay" Philby said through the Artemis which Finn put up near the phone. "Was that her animator that we just heard?"

"Yes. That was Mr. Davis. The only human that she has ever cared for in this life or the one before."

Suddenly a chilling voiced echoed in every corner of air.

"Get out." It was Maleficent's voice.

The phone suddenly went dead, making Finn hang up the phone and listen.

"Guys" Maybeck said on the radio. "Did you all just hear God in the sky again?"

"Don't call me that" Maleficent's voice said coming from everywhere. "The man you listened to was Mr. Davis. He was my creator and the day that happened was the first day the towers were opened. At a time when I could leave the parks, despite being bound to Disney."

"You could leave the parks back then?"

"I could if I had a piece of Disney artwork with me. One blessed with his pen."

Philby asked, "So why are you stuck in the parks now?"

The fairy replied, "If you look hard enough you will find out."

Her voice in the air went silent. Looking at his clock Finn said, "Okay guys, let's do what she says."

"Right" everyone said in unison.

Looking back at the roof access door, Finn had a thought going through his mind. If this was a castle, then it needs a banner to fly upon it. He pulled up his radio to ask, "Hey Willa is there an American flag on the roof where you are?"

She replied, "Yeah there's one up here why?"

"Just curious. Thanks." Finn then deleted his waypoint and made his way back to the elevators. The moment he called the elevator, Maybeck's voice could be heard in the PA system.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen I am Donnie For The Win here to give you and those gone before us a few tune on the box. From the 70's to the 80's I got all the songs that you love here and now. Before the sun sets on this day let's give the twins a proper farewell with little bit of music and a whole lot of love that only your man Donnie can deliver."

Music then started to blast through the intercom speakers, putting a smile on Finn's face as he instantly recognized the 80's song. It was _**I Think I'm in Love**_ , a song that was his father's favorite growing up in his high school years; a time when his mother had a crush on him. The song put a smile on Finn's face as he made his way down the tower.

* * *

Operations Control Center

Floor B1

Tower 2

7:40 P.M.

With his boom box plugged into the main computer Maybeck pressed buttons across the board pretending he was a real DJ. Despite being decades old the beat and rhythm of the 1980's music was still as uplifting as they were to the people who worked in the twin towers long ago.

"Hey Donnie For The Win, thanks for the music" Finn complemented.

"Your welcome sir" Maybeck replied in a gentleman's tone. "Got the idea from an old childhood film, not from Disney?"

"What is it" Charlene asked?

"That would be _All Dogs Go to Heaven_ " Maybeck replied. "In the words of Charlie the dog, we may be dead but that doesn't mean the music has to be." He then clicked his fingers. "Speak of which, I got a song here straight from my home."

Digging through the pile of tapes, Maybeck found the cassette with the song he had on mind. He put it in the boom box and pressed the play button.

"Hello boys and girls, this is Donnie here to play a favorite of mine. There's no place I like to be then with family and for me I need to look no future than in _**Sweet Home** **Alabama**_." Maybeck then placed a tape in the boom box and a banjo started to play.

"Wait, you're from Alabama" Philby said dumb founded?

"Yeah; didn't I tell you guys this?" Maybeck continued, "Moved to Florida when I was a kid, had to move in with my aunt. Had to leave a lot of family behind, but Disney World, Universal, and Sea World made living in Orlando an okay thing."

"Are your mom and dad in Alabama" Charlene asked?

The smile on Maybeck's face suddenly melted away and was quiet as he remembered back to those days.

"Donnie" Finn said in concern?

Maybeck shook his head to get it straight. "Oh, yeah. They're in Alabama, but umm…" He then found an excuse. "I'll just look for the next song ready."

He then turned off his Artemis and took a deep breath; swallowing hard as the memories came back to mind.

* * *

(Meanwhile in the Plaza)

With Maybeck off the radio, Charlene exited the building and took a breath of fresh air. Walking to the center of the plaza she look to the forest surrounding the towers.

Sitting down in the same bench Maleficent sat on, Charlene rest to listen to the music playing through the plaza's speakers. It was odd sensation to see such upbeat music echo across such a tranquil landscape. She then inspected the circular water fountain before her that had a golden sphere on top of it. A small plaque before her read, **Austin J. Tobin Plaza**.

"So that's what this place is called" she said to herself.

Suddenly a clap of thunder echo in the sky above. Looking up, Charlene could see only the clear sky with no clouds in the air. Then something appeared from top of Tower 1. It was falling but not in a freefall. As it rapidly descended, Charlene realized it was a blue ball of light which was now slowing down as it approach the ground.

The speakers around the plaza went silent and the blue ball gracefully approached Charlene before coming to a complete stop before her.

A blue message appeared before Charlene's Artemis: **PLEASE SCAN.** And she did.

 **Dark Data Downloaded.**

The blue magical wisp then summoned a woman before Charlene, kneeling with one hand on her heart and the other holding the staff behind her. The woman had silver-white hair that was knotted in a chignon bun and was young in her posture. Her attire consisted of a white robe draped in silk, breast bands that crossed her chest like an 'X', and golden jewelry across her waist, arms, and ankles.

Yet the most striking feature to her was a stone mask that covered her whole face; covering her mouth and eyes in an emotionless mold. Its design was like that of ancient Greek theatre.

"Greetings. I am Lady Britomarits and I am yours to serve."

Charlene was taken aback to the sudden introduction. "Um…Hello?"

The masked woman gasped a small breath as if she broke from a trance. She then let out a sigh which Charlene could tell was one of blushing. Even though her eyes were covered, with no irises or pupils, Charlene could feel the emotion behind her mask. "Forgive me, it's been a great many years since my Lord summoned me before anyone."

It clicked in Charlene's head of who she was looking at. This was the fairy from Maleficent's artworks, the one she dueled in her youth and as an adult. "Who are you?"

"A fairy" she replied in the softest and affectionate voices Charlene had ever heard. "I can't believe Wayne got my name wrong when making his trinkets." The woman rose up and to Charlene's surprise she was as tall as Maleficent but was more physically fit.

Wishing to see if she was indeed a magical being Charlene ask, "Prove it."

Tilting her head in pride, the fairy took on the girl's challenge. "Would you like stars or a rainbow?"

"Rainbow" Charlene replied quickly, feeling the anticipation.

"Hmm." Even though the fairy's mask covered her eyes she turned to an open area away from the towers. "A rainbow it is."

With a clash upon the plaza's floor the fairy's white wooden staff slowly transformed into an elegant long bow. With the stretch of her arm a glass arrow appeared upon the bow's string which was made of light. Arching her shot the fairy released the arrow creating a rainbow as it shot high into the sky far above the twin towers!

Charlene's jaw dropped in amazement. "Wow!"

Reverting her bow back into a staff the masked fairy turned once again to Charlene. "Glad to see that I can at least make a child smile."

"Who exactly are you?"

"First, let me introduce myself to your friends."

Suddenly the radio burst into full audio with everyone talking at once.

"Guys there's some lady in the elevator with me" said Finn.

"Who the hell is this" said Philby.

"Everyone another hologram has popped up" said Willa.

"Whoa how you get in here" asked Maybeck?

The masked woman bowed once again before Charlene, most likely being seen by the others as well. "I am Lady Britomartis, Keeper to the Kingdom of Hellas. I now serve Lord Kinsali and…" She swallowed hard as it was difficult to speak. "And to Mistress Maleficent of Britannia's Child."

Clicker her staff to the ground the masked fairy continued. "By their will I am your servant for tonight. You all must have many questions and I will share with you what I can. But for now, just enjoy the towers. Just call my name and I will come."

"Yeah…what was it again?" Charlene had forgotten.

"Britomartis."

"Hmm…I'm not feeling it" said Maybeck on the radio. "Sounds too weird. Can we just call you something short? Should we call you 'Brito' or should we call you "Martis'? What hang on that sounds way too much like a dude's name."

"Or…." Charlene cut Maybeck's rambling, "We can just call her 'Marta'."

"Agreed" the fairy said feeling embarrassed by the conversation. "You may call me Marta. If you wish to summon me all you must do is call me by that name."

With another click of her staff, the magical being disappeared in a flash of white light; the rainbow in the sky vanishing as well.

"Did you all see her?"

"Yeah; a lady with a Greek mask" said Finn.

"Doesn't she look familiar" Philby asked?

"Yeah, she's that white haired girl in the paintings" said Willa.

"We can't see Maleficent's three pals, but we can see this lady" Maybeck questioned?

"I don't know" Charlene said to her friends. "But if she'll help us get a clue then I say let it be."

The speaker around the plaza then came back on and continued to play music as if nothing happened. Charlene recognized the tune as it was her father's personal favorite: **_We Built this City_**.

"Well with that out of the way, I found a good track for you guys" said Maybeck on the radio. "From yours truly."

She then continued to make her way to the first tower and upon entering it she looked for the hallway that held the tower's stairs. For her running these stairs was identical to marathon runners running for a good cause. Climbing to the top would be a physical endurance test and her way of spiritual respect.

Wanting something to measure her progress, she pulled up her Artemis and placed a waypoint to the first tower's roof. Only a red message pop up: **WARNING HAZARDS AHEAD!**

She pulled up her map only to find it highlighting a red zone in the tower she was in. She instantly knew that the red area in the high levels was where the plane crashed into the building as a cartoonish outline of a plane displayed itself.

"Hey everyone" she called to the others on her com tab. "I don't think the tower is in one piece. Those impact zones are still here."

"That can't be" said Philby. "We saw them on the outside and everything looked fine."

"Maybe the fairy wanted to present them nicely and hide the ugly truth" said Maybeck.

"Anyway, it's just a heads up." Charlene then put away her Artemis to find a stairwell.

Walking down the hallway that cut through the tower's core column, Charlene could see near the elevators a door way that read, **Stairwell B**. For her she was going to take on the physical challenge of running to the top floor by foot. She was always one for a challenge, but for the most part she wants to see how it felt to walk the path. The path in which so many firefighters took that day when the tower came crashing down on them.

Opening the hard steel door Charlene could see that the floor and stairs looking very identical to the underground access paths to the Magic Kingdom's utilidors as they too were painted in a tannish white color. Her waypoint was active, and the blue line shot in between the crack area where the stairs meet like a pair of scissor blades. Looking up Charlene could see the stairwell going up almost indefinitely.

"Oh boy."

* * *

Top of **The World** Observation Deck

Floor 110

Tower 2

7:50 P.M.

The sight was one to behold for Philby. He didn't believe Willa when she said there were castles out in the distance but now he does. As he looked upon each castle his mind question where was Maleficent's cartoon castle as it was nowhere to be found in the northern mountain landscape. He guessed that was something only for Sleeping Beauty and wasn't a true castle in Maleficent's life.

Yet the question on his mind looking at both roofs of both towers was why there wasn't a large antenna atop the buildings? Every picture he knows shows one of the towers having a normal roof and the other having a large radio antenna. So where was it?

Below the observation platform was a standard security fence that went around the rooftop. What was also around the tower's perimeter was a railroad track, which carried the nearby window washing machines. Near the observation pier was a helicopter pad with the large H inscribed on it and beneath it was a security officer's box. He used his hologram powers to pass a locked gate and down a flight of stairs to the roof. He made his way to the edge of the building a very carefully looked straight down. The height was so great that he pulled back instantly in fear of falling. He then spent this time walking across the entire perimeter of the tower.

Upon the northern face, at the corner pointing to Tower 1 across from him, Philby could see a handwritten signature. Walking to it he could see that near the signature was a childish drawing of a circus tight rope act. He quickly realized that the signature was from the man who crossed the two towers on a wire a long time ago. Next to the tight rope signature was another signature, but Philby didn't know what to make of it.

From the plaza below he could make out the song being played. It was _**Don't Stop Believin'** , _a song he remembered from a music performance in Epcot. He looked once again to the landscape all around him to take solitude in his situation. Not a moving or living thing appeared upon the vast expanse. He, his friends, and the music playing below were the only things to break the tomblike silence of the landscape.

Turning around Philby was surprise to see a purple wisp sprout from the roof before him. The wisp was like the green ones he and the gang had seen the night they met Maleficent.

 **PLEASE SCAN.**

Reading the pop-up text, Philby pulled up his Artemis from his arm and scanned the wisp.

 **Dark Data Downloading…**

The wisp vanished after completing the scan and a message pop up before Philby on his Artemis.

 **Dark Data Downloaded.**

 **PLAYING RECORDED MEMORY…**

Suddenly a hologram of Maleficent in her human form appeared before Philby and she was holding an object of some kind. He soon realized that the object was the DHI pyramid that powered their holograms!

"Hey everyone, I got another memory up here on the deck" Philby called to others. "She's got that pyramid we saw under the park."

"What is she doing with it" Charlene asked?

The purple hologram of Maleficent placed the DHI pyramid upon the roof's center. There she took out a curved dagger from her robe to cut her hand. She then smeared her bloody hand across the small crevasses that covered the pyramid.

"She is doing something with the pyramid."

"Is it blue" Finn asked Philby.

"No, there is no light. It's just a dud."

After a while Maleficent created a circular pictograph of symbols around the deactivate DHI pyramid and did something Philby wished he didn't have to see. She started to strip down.

"Oh Christ" Philby turned away, not wanting to see.

"What's wrong" Willa asked in concern?

"Nothing. It's nothing."

Eventually he had to see what she was doing and lucky for him he was at an angle that wasn't too revealing. Maleficent, being human and naked, summoned green magic within her hand to conjure up something she should've had before. A golden staff with an emerald crystal on top. Kneeling and laying down her staff before her knees Maleficent began to whisper in an unheard language.

"Guys. I think you should listen to this" Philby said to the others as he approached Maleficent's hologram to record her praying.

The language Maleficent was speaking wasn't like any Philby had heard before.

"Yasalimari de Divine, hei mi sole, mi kior, e vo. Ie pray ti flas ki e mi Kinsali"

"Kals e Kalises da Famoria e De Danann. Hei ki. Flas ki e mi Kinsali."

As Maleficent spoke, something behind Philby flashed brightly in the sky. He turned to see that high above the other tower was a small purple light that was slowly glowing bright.

"Flas mi kior. Flas mi sole. Moria ki e Kinsali a prima."

The DHI pyramid before Maleficent was also glowing! As for Maleficent herself she was slowly starting to morph back into her fairy form as her horns started to grow upon her skull. Yet there was something else.

The skin upon her back started to become transparent to the point where her spinal cord and all the nerves that connected to it were visible and all of it was highlighted in a deep dark black! The details were so extreme that Philby could clearly see the blood flow from her body to her brain and even the motion of her back muscles.

"Hei ki. Hei ki ai lo el Aperion e el Paradiso."

From below Philby could hear the bells within the forest began to ring. The DHI pyramid as well began to illuminate brightly. Maleficent then smeared her staff in blood from her injured hand and laid it to rest.

To Philby's surprise the purple light in the sky suddenly bled a stream of purple light down to the base of Tower 1 which laid beneath it. His eyes widen realizing now what caused the flash of light from earlier.

"Hei ki. Primordia, Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah, Krishna, Budda, e all Kals e Kalises de **el Warudo**. Kal-Sol. Kalis-Luna. Kal-Terra. Lor-Staros. Lora-Avasina. Lor-Uchani. Loros e Loras de ovar y novar. Gira-Uniqaldrona. Gira-Cydronpraxa. Gira-Protodayka. Gira-Belladorra. Hei ki ai de el Divine Yasalimari."

Philby could then hear a growing flow of energy coming from the stream of light at Tower 1. At that moment he knew it was about to blow!

"Hei ki. Hei mi Kinsali. Moria prima. Moria prima. Moria prima."

BOOM! A synthetic horn roared in a torrent thunder from the steam of light atop Tower 1, knocking Philby off his feet and blinding his eyes for a moment.

* * *

When his eyes came back to focus. He was shock to what he was seeing.

He was no longer on top of a tower. Maleficent's hologram had disappeared and everything was dead silent.

Instead Philby was in a small apartment and he choked up as he realized where he was. "I'm home? In Leeds?" The small square table where he ate was as he remembered, nearby was the small kitchen and the living room. He remembered the living room being bigger but now grown up everything was small. The doors to the outdoor patio showed the green country side with the road passing by. Near the apartments exit was his parent's bedroom and returning to the dinner table was the guest bathroom as well as his own bedroom.

Then something caught his eyes, something the made him sick to his stomach and freeze in grief. It was a small cat bed with the word ' _Elvis_ ' inscribed on it.

 _Wake up. Wake up damn it!_ Philby closed his eyes and tried to escape his memories.

* * *

Opening his eyes everything was back on the tower, but everything was in animation form once again! He looked back at Maleficent, her body back in her Sleeping Beauty form, only to see that the pyramid before her was glowing purple. Her hologram then phased out and the roof was back to normal.

 **END OF RECORDING...**

Yet his eyes widen as he noticed in the background stood a colossal antenna was now present atop the first tower!

"Philby what happened up there" Finn asked? "Why are we animated again?"

"Wait that wasn't an explosion" Maybeck said in confusion?

"Well that explains why the building shook" said Charlene. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah" said Willa. "I was a worried when the lights went out here in the stair but I'm okay."

Philby took a minute to take in what he witnessed. "Did you guys see anything?"

"Yeah a big flash" said Finn. "I may be on 44th floor here but that flash was bright as lightning."

 _Was this all in my head?_ "Didn't you guys see anything else?"

"No" replied Finn.

Willa asked in concerned; "Are you okay Dell?"

"Yeah" he replied quickly; before looking up at the high spire on the other building. "That big antenna is now up top and it's huge. It's got to be 30 stories high."

"Well I'm glad hear that" said Finn. "Maybe this imagination-land place has a few glitches here and there. But anyway, be careful guys. We don't know what else this place has in store for us."

With Finn off the radio Philby pulled up his Artemis system hoping that somehow, he could call upon the masked fairy from earlier. "Marta. Can you hear me?"

In a burst of blue light Marta appeared before him. "You summon me Dell?"

Philby took a few steps back. "I don't think I told you my name?"

"Maleficent already told me about you children" she explained. "And Lord Kinsali has just old me what you saw. Your past. A painful memory you wish to forget."

It didn't take long for Philby to realize that the building in some form was alive and that it had just invaded his mind. "What the bloody hell was that?"

"A price" Marta replied as she looked up to the antenna on Tower 1. "My Lord allowed you to see a memory of Maleficent and so you must pay something of equal value."

 _I knew there was a catch._ Philby shrugged off to his discomfort.

"You must not tell your friends about what happened.".

"Why not?"

"They must endure the same pain you have to learn a piece of the past."

"But we will learn something about Maleficent in return; right?"

"Of course."

"And it's not some magic trick?"

"Maleficent is many things but she is no liar."

For now, that would have to do. "Alright. You can go."

Instead of disappearing Marta looked at him directly into Philby's eyes. Even though her mask was shaped to be stoic and emotionless he could tell that she was concerned. "I know it's hard to see the past, I too have been there, but trust me when I say it's better to accept it"

Philby turned in slight anger seeing she was pitying him. "I said you can go okay!"

Lowering her head is shame. "As you wish." Then in a flash of blue light she vanished.

Now alone on the roof Philby pulled up radio and contemplated what to do. He knew logically he should say anything, but on the other hand he didn't wish his companions to endure their most painful memory in life as he had.

The moment he thought this, Maleficent's voice snarled menacingly in his head. "Don't try to do any stupid moves."

Taking a disappointing sigh, Philby put away his radio. _Fine. You have me beat._

He then made his way back onto the observation deck and down the exiting escalator which lead back into the tower's interior. No surprise that he was in the tower's gift shop with many New York City souvenirs; all of them with the twin towers upon them. Old things from a time long gone.

As he wondered about the empty shop, Philby's mind focused on the building itself. Wondering just how alive it was and if it was sentient.

"Alright then" he said pointing his finger at the ceiling as if he was pointing at God. "If you are alive give me a sign."

Then from the tower's intercom system disco music began to play.

* * *

Operations Control Center

Floor B1

Tower 2

(5 minutes Earlier)

"Guys. I think you should listen to this" Philby said on the radio, prompting Maybeck to press the stop button on the boom box. He listened careful to what was being said on the other side of the radio and all that could be made out was some gibberish language that couldn't be made out.

As Maybeck laid back a tremor shook the room. "What the heck?"

The lights in the room then flickered as another tremor vibrated through the room. Everything went back to normal, only before another stronger quake nearly knocked him out his chair; the computers and phones nearly falling from their desks. As Maybeck regained his balance a growling sound began to echo from within the tower as Maleficent's foreign language continued to speak.

Eventually the growling became a roaring sensation that seemed to rise from beneath Maybeck's feet and move up through the tower. Whatever force this was Maybeck knew it wasn't good news.

Then everything went black in the room as an explosion of some kind could felt from above.

"Oh crap" Maybeck whispered to himself as he pulled up his Artemis to contact the others, but the radio tab read: **OFFLINE**. Ignoring this Maybeck turned on his night vison ability, only to find out everything was animated again. "What?"

After a while the lights were back on.

"Philby what happened up there" Finn asked through the radio? "Why are we animated again?"

"Wait that wasn't an explosion" Maybeck said as he turned off his night vision.

Everyone else called in to say they were alright and Philby gave word that the large antenna to the towers was up.

With the sudden drama over, Maybeck went back to check on the boom box to play another tape. Picking up a 70's tape he placed in the cassette slot, closed it, and pressed the play button. However, the moment he did that all the electronics in the room erupted into a flurry of flashes. "Whoa, whoa, whoa."

Suddenly familiar tune of a disco music began to play on the speakers and the tower's intercom system. Maybeck's eyes widened in shock. "Hold the phone, I know that beat." The jazz trumpets. The boogie music. It was The Trammps. It was _**Disco Inferno**._

 _To mass fires, yes!_

 _One hundred stories high._

 _People getting loose y'all gettin' down on the roof. Do you hear?_

 _Folks were flaming out of control._

 _It was so entertaining when the boogie started to explode._

 _I heard somebody say Burn baby burn! Disco Inferno! Burn baby burn! Burn that mama down._

Maybeck's spine chilled to lyrics being sung.

"Donnie" Philby called on the radio. "Please tell me this is you playing the song."

Maybeck replied. "No dude. The damn building is singing to us."

 _Satisfaction, came in chain reaction._

 _I couldn't get enough, so I had to self-destruct._

 _The heat was on, rising to the top._

 _Everybody's going strong, and that is when my spark got hot_

 _I heard somebody say Burn baby burn! Disco Inferno! Burn baby burn! Burn that mama down._

Maybeck then quickly got a hold with Finn, Charlene, and Willa. "Are you all hearing this?"

"Yeah" said Finn.

"Loud and clear" said Charlene.

"I can't believe it" said Willa.

"Oh, believe it" said Philby to everyone.

 _Up above my head I hear music in the air, I hear music!_

 _That makes me know there's somebody going there._

After a minute the music went quiet.

This time it was Maybeck who called upon the magical woman. "Hey Marta! You got a minute?"

"Yes" her voice echoed before appearing in the room with Maybeck.

Pointing to the ceiling he asked; "Is this building alive?"

"Of course, he is" Marta replied casually as she looked to the ceiling as well. "Anything blessed by the Fae is granted a greater meaning of existence."

"So that's what Maleficent did up here" Philby said on the radio.

"Yes."

"Why?"

The fairy chuckled softly. "In good time Dell." She then turned to Maybeck. "It's not your duty to entertain your friends. You too must live your time here and see the towers."

Suddenly, a radio theme exploded from the intercom system followed by a voice. "This is Q104.3. New York's Rock Station!"

"Lord Kinsali will entertain you from here on. Now go and see what must be remembered."

The fairy then disappeared in a flash of light and Maybeck, now taken off the air, walk to the door and out of the Operations Control Center. The radio voice continued to speak on the intercom. "To all iHeartMedia listeners this is WAXQ broadcasting from **the World** Trade Center. It is 8 o'clock this fine evening and we can't wait to play tonight's list here. From Elvis to DIO, the best of rock is here on New York City's Rock Station. Here is **_The Spirit of Radio_**."

Before he made his way to the escalators back to the lobby, Maybeck looked over to a nearby restroom and stood inside to clearly hear the lyrics to the song. He knew there was more to the music than entertainment.

"Alright big guy; what are you saying?"

As the song echoed in the small room he made out something.

 _Invisible airwaves, crackle with life. Bright antennae bristle with the energy._

 _Emotional feedback on timeless wavelength, bearing a gift beyond price. Almost free._

* * *

Stairwell A

Floor 86

Tower 2

8:00 P.M.

Having decided to take the long way down Willa made her way down the path labeled **Stairwell A** curious to how it must feel in running down such a tall building. While old music played on the intercom Willa's mind wonder on what this place was to Maleficent beyond a simple memory.

Walking down she came to a sudden stop on the 82rd floor at the sight of an emergency door being blown out from one of its hinges. Beyond the door was a hallway shrouded in complete darkness with the only source of light being from the setting sun.

Letting her curiosity guide her, Willa walk down the hall which was abnormally silent. There was no electricity to power anything and the walls were either broken or fallen. Once at the end of the hall, her stomach shriveled in uneasiness to what she was looking upon.

All around her was the sight of internal destruction with collapsed roofs tiles, fallen walls, and broken furniture. Looking at a large gash that cut through the building she could see that the damage spanned across a diagonal plane that cut through the tower. The only objects that stood intact were the steel trustees that held the floor and the reinforcement columns at the core of the building. It wasn't hard for Willa to figure out that she was in an impact zone. It was a haunting sight to see the orange rays of the setting sun creep through the windows and into the tower's wound.

Looking towards the area of her floor that was stable, Willa could see an office of some kind at one corner of the building. Opening the doors, she found herself in a large office with small plaque spelling **Fuji Bank**. Fallen picture frames litter the floor. A long business table in the center of the room was blasted to the corner of the office with their chairs toppled over. Yet what caught Willa's attention was a single broken window on the west corner with a view of the sun. Looking out the window she felt the strong breeze blow through her hair.

Pulling herself back, Willa put a chair back up and sat down quietly. It was in that moment that a purple wisp dropped from the broken ceiling into Willa's lap.

Pulling out her scanner a blue light scanned the purple wisp making it disappear.

 **Dark Data Downloading…**

Once it was complete a long text message appeared.

"Did any of you suddenly get a long text" Finn on the radio asked to everyone?

While everyone replied 'yes' in their own way Willa began reading the text.

 **Dark Data Downloaded.**

 **Journal Entry #728**

 **January 29, 1974**

 **For my 15th birthday in this new world I've decide to do something special. Tonight, I will bless Britannia's Child with the greatest gift a magical being can offer; a castle of divine power. The map from Mistress Au Co pointed me to the Kingdom of Israel where I became the first magical being ever to step foot upon the Holy Land. What I found there was the soul of Adam and he gave to me the last Crystal of Eden that still retained its magic. Now I will use it to create the prophesied castle of the magical realm. The castle to rule over the World.**

 **That castle will be the Twin Towers of Britannia's Child and their name to the Gods will be Kinsali. It will be the crown of this new kingdom; casting a powerful shadow upon all those who look upon them. As the last of the Fae I bestow this gift to our Goddess; Ruler of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. Seeing the two towers bridge the Earth and Heavens is a marvel to behold. To have such tall structures built so quickly without the labor of slaves or giants is an achievement so grand that The Builders would be envious. By my own benediction the twin towers will the true castle of this our Goddess's kingdom under the eyes of the High Gods. All those who lie beneath their shadows will knell before their power and those who refuse will know the full wrath of my resolve. As a warrior-servant I swear my soul to this promise. I Talia, daughter of Master Sovereign and Mistress Adarra, shall serve as a Kingdom Keeper to Britannia's Child. I will bring light to those of my kind to serve her, chain those dare defy her, and smite those who wish death upon her name. By the High Gods and the Great Decree, I give my blood and my body to her and our Lord Kinsali. To this I promise. To this I swear.**

 **END OF TRANSMISSION**

"WHAT" Philby shouted out loud on the radio! "That pyramid thing we saw under the park is from Adam?!"

"Ha" Maybeck expressed in smirky fashion! "God is real. I knew it."

"Hold on. Didn't Wayne call our holograms 'Kingdom Keepers'" asked Finn. "Oh crap, what the heck did he get us into?"

"Hey guys I think you should be careful" Philby warned. "I have a feeling that flash up top will blow any moment. So be careful."

The radio went quiet leaving Willa alone in the office. Sitting back down she felt it a better time than ever to talk with Marta. Using her holographic utility Willa summoned the masked fairy. "Is there something you wish of me?"

"Yeah" Willa turned her chair to the fairy before motioning her hand to another chair. "Let's chat."

Making her staff disappear Martha's voice was full of joy. "I thought you never ask."

Seeing her up close Willa could now see that the masked woman was as tall as Maleficent, making her no doubt a magical creature. As she sat down the chair strained to hold her super-human body. With her eyes covered by her mask the face to face interaction gave Willa goosebumps.

"I assume you're a fairy, right?"

"Yes. I am one of the Seelie; Fairies of the Light."

"And I guess you're from Greece" Willa motion her finger towards her own face. "You know…because of the…"

The fairy touched her mask in motion of disgrace. "Yes. She awoken my spirit upon Mount Tityros of Crete when she had the freedom to travel. It was odd seeing how much had changed since magic was purged from the world. At least the statues of my Gods and Goddesses still stand."

Feeling necessary to ask the obvious Willa couldn't help herself. "Why do you wear that mask?"

Tapping her stone mask Marta replied, "Even though I'm no longer in the Kingdom of Hella, of Greece, I still hold true the rules set down by the Goddess Artemis."

"Do you mind taking it off?"

"I cannot." She lifted her hair by the sides to show by the bands that held her mask. They were locked by a purple aura. "Lord Kinsali believes commitment to the Gods is above all else."

"Fair enough." Willa remembered from the artworks in the gallery. "Are you and Maleficent rivals?"

"We are more than that" Marta put her hair down. "At first it was simple competition for our Headmistress's grace but as we grew up Maleficent's methods of violating my life grew more sadistic."

"How?"

"If I had to choose the worst, I would say it was when she stole my Kinsali from me."

"Yeah about that" Finn called on the radio which Willa forgot to turn off. "What is it with that name anyway?"

"You know it rude to not address yourself" Marta said to the eves dropping boy. "The name 'Kinsali' is a title a fairy gives to someone or something that they prize or love above all else. Most of the time, our men would call their lovers Kinsali to win their fancy's."

Charlene, breathing heavily from exhaustion, came on the radio. "So…it's a….'sexy' name?"

Marta laughed at Charlene. "No. To put it simple, it's a name you give to the one you value above all else. One that is sacred. One that is most precious. Just the one."

From the forest down below Willa's her ears could hear bells echoing from the forest down below.

"Isabelle" Marta said rapidly, her demeanor changing instantaneously. "Whatever happens, you must not tell your friends what you see. You must give me your word that you won't say anything after that flash."

Feeling the concern in Marta voice, Willa replied "Okay. I won's say anything, but what is going to happen."

Laying a warm hand upon Willa's shoulder Marta said only two words. "Be strong." Then in a flash of blue light the fairy vanished from the room.

Heeding her warning, Willa kept still as a growing force could be felt climbing up the building. Feeling what was to come Willa closed her eyes and covered her ears before a blinding light filled the sky along with the blast of a loud horn!

* * *

After a few seconds she opened her eyes and was in closet of some kind?

"What? What happened" she asked herself as she opened the closet door. She stumbled and landed on a wooden floor which felt familiar to Willa. Looking up she wasn't in the tower but in a wooden cabin. A familiar cabin that she remembered vividly. She got up and looked around herself. She had stumbled out of a wardrobe and was in a tiny living room that had no phone and no television. The only technology around was the fan on the ceiling, a pendulum clock on the wall, and an old fashion radio on a desk nearby; it's antenna stick out diagonally.

In a corner of the room was rocking chair than made Willa's stomach shrink. She remembered who once sat in that chair. Near the chair was a small table with paintbrushes and pencils. On the other side of the room was a collection of canvases; some still drying on their stands. Looking out a window, she could see the red swinging bench by the babbling creek; the great Californian wilderness surrounding it all.

Static then burst from the radio near Willa as it turned on by itself. "The sun is setting on this beautiful evening and boy does the September weather make New York City look like Heaven fallen onto Earth. For our next track we got a little something special to a certain caller. Our city is Paradise, and this here is **_Another Day in Paradise_**."

Listening to the song, she could hear the meaning of the lyrics. As she listened to the song her fist clenched instinctively as she knew what this was all about.

Her grandmother.

The wooden cabin was her grandmother's. The song was her grandmother's life. And Willa couldn't distinguish if she was supposed to be happy to her memory or sad at her outcome. She never truly forgave her mother for what she did, even if it was with good reason. She only wished she had more time. Just more time.

Closing her eyes, she wished for the illusion to be over.

* * *

Opening them up she found herself back in the office in the tower; everything now in live-action. "What? What was that?"

"Finally, the radio's back online" Philby's voice called out on the Artemis radio. "I guess every time that flash happens it switches the reality from animated to live-action."

"I guess so" said Finn. "Are you all okay?"

"Same over here" said Charlene.

"Yeah what is with those flashes" Maybeck asked?

"It's…" Philby stumbled. "Nothing. Willa are you there?"

"Um…yeah" she replied as she tried to hold her emotions. "I'm alright."

Philby was silent for a few seconds. "Okay."

Taking a deep breath Willa remembered what Marta said earlier. Don't say anything.

Suddenly a rumbling noise began to grow from down below. Willa then made her way out of the office and to the edge of the impact zone. From the angle she could see the exposed core of the tower. As the seconds went by the noise became louder until eventually an elevator cart zoomed up and about. Pulling up her map she could see that it was Finn probably going to roof.

Wanting to get away from whatever presence created the illusion Willa quickly made her way back to the stairwell. Yet only after walking two stories down she had to come to a stop. "Oh, come on!"

Before her was heavy debris blocking the stairwell, though not too much that it was impassible. Squeezing herself against the wall against a fallen piece of debris, Willa slowly made her way down the stairs like a cat through a tight space. By the look of things, it looked like she would have to go through three or four stories of blocked stairs till she gets to safe ground. Yet for the time being anything to keep her mind off what she relived was okay with her.

* * *

Stairwell B

Floor 44

Tower 1

8:10 P.M.

Reaching what appeared to be the end of the stair well, Charlene's strenuous climb was starting to take its toll on her. The nausea was starting to swell her head up like a water balloon. Once reaching the 44th floor the stairwell ended with a hallway leading to the core of the building. At the end of the hallway laid a heavy door and upon opening it she couldn't help but smile.

The walls in elevator bank were of black marble. The large hall which cut through the center of the building had extravagant carpet, plants on display, and small chandeliers hanging upon the ceiling. And of course, nearby was a water fountain.

Without thinking Charlene ran to the fountain and pressed the button; hoping water would flow. She was relieved to see water shot from the faucet and she began to drink. Nothing more blissful than the hydrating sensation of cold H2O on one's lips.

Wanting to take a break from climbing, Charlene made her way out of the elevator banks and to the edge of the building which resembled more of a lobby than an office work floor. The entire floor was empty with the only lying about were benches near the windows. The music tracks on the intercom system continued, its track echoing across the halls. The song playing was one of her mother's favorites and personally for Charlene it was a great song to hear during the setting sun. The song was **_Broken Wings_**.

As the song played she walked about the entire perimeter of the building to admire the many scenic views. Taking a seat, she looked to see the rising night to the East where the flat plains laid.

"Hey Finn, you said this place was from a Disney film" she asked her friend on the radio?

"Yeah" he replied.

"Don't you think it's weird that there aren't any Disney characters here?"

"I don't think so" said Philby. "Whatever this place is it's for herself and anyone who wants to come in needs her permission."

"Still you think there would be more magical things here than just some voices on the phone and a fairy from Greece" said Maybeck. "You think we would see a giant, a pixie, something."

"Well let's look back at what we know and think about this" Philby expressed in a problem-solving manor. "We know she could leave the parks. We know she likes this place. If that fairy says Maleficent found her in Greece, then I'm sure she's been traveling the world finding more fairies. Now where those fairies are, let alone Disney characters, I don't know."

"Never mind that" said Charlene. "What we should be asking is 'how' she traveled the world."

"You know what Charlie that's a very good question" said Maybeck. "And I'm pretty sure Wayne had something to do with that."

"Well if you think about it, that probably would've been his best choice of what to do with her" said Willa. "Would you have someone like Maleficent stay in a park full of kids?"

She had a very good point. Especially when they saw firsthand of her brutality a few nights before.

Closing her eye, Charlene focused her mind. _Marta. I summon you._

In a literal flash, Marta appeared behind her. "Yes?"

Charlene then asked her what was on everyone's mind. "Why does magic exist in Disney World?"

Marta took a deep breath before sitting down opposite of Charlene. "You may want to sit back because it's a long story."

"Everyone I think it's story time" Charlene said to her friends as she turned away from the windows and to Marta. "You guys ready for a story?"

"Yeah" said Philby.

"Please share" said Willa on the radio.

"Let's hear it" said Finn.

"If not, we wouldn't be in Disney" said Maybeck.

Marta then tapped the floor with her staff making the music on the intercom go silent.

"Well…once upon a time, before the High Gods cleansed the Earth of magic, there was a Princess named Britannia whose power and beauty were so graceful the Roman Conquerors named her island kingdom after her."

"You mean my home island is named after a fairy" Philby asked?

"A fairy under a Royal House of the Fae" Marta clarified. "One day Britannia was ordered by her parents King Lenjohnis and Queen Cordelia to see the Great Oracles to foretell her future. She then went on a pilgrimage to the one place on Earth where the High Gods could be heard. The Lonely Mountain in the Land of the Elephant. Once she reached the top, Britannia asked what her destiny would be. The Great Oracles, having spoken to the High Gods, said to her that in the future she would bear a child, one that would be destine to be a Goddess blessed to give us the one thing all magical beings desired for eons."

"And what would that be" Charlene asked?

At that moment, Marta's face dropped as the strength within her couldn't hold the weight of her mask. She then grasped tightly her breast bands across her chest, feeling the weight of what she held. To Charlene this was pain on a personally level.

"Marta?"

"Do excuse her" Maleficent's voice echoed from the sky outside. "Even after 18 years 9/11 still bothers her."

That was the first time any of the kids heard her say the infamous day.

"Oh, don't worry we will speak about that day when we eat. Now continue Britomartis."

The sky was silence once more and Marta relaxed herself.

"You don't have to do as she says" Charlene insisted. "We can talk about this another time."

"No." The fairy touched her stoned forehead, "I can go on."

"Well you ended with something that sounds like a prophecy so let's start there" said Finn. "After that what happened next?"

Taking a deep breath Marta continued. "What happened was that we believed the Oracles were wrong."

"And why's that" Willa asked?

"Because Princess Britannia was barren. That's why she took me in as an adoptive daughter when she was Maleficent's Headmistress."

"What" everyone said together in confusion and shock?

"Is there more to Britannia" Philby asked wanting to know more about the name of his home country. "I'm British you know."

"Yes, I know" said Marta. "Despite her destiny she became the Headmistress to her Academy and taught many Fae both of the light and the dark. Then one day she fell in love with a human; and his name was Arthur."

"Wow" Maybeck said in surprise. "Well that's something."

"However, fairy's and humans are forbidden to fall in love" Marta continued. "So, she prayed to the Gods to free her from all magic to be with Arthur, knowing full well she would loss her immortality. Yet by choosing this path she was granted the title of a Lower God and her existence could live forever in the hearts of the humans born on her kingdom. That is why she's the figure of your country Dell Philby. I have to say your people got her appearance on spot."

"That's great and all but what does it have to do with magic in Disney" Finn asked?

"Now come on Finn, haven't you figured it out" Philby said on the radio. "Britannia's Child isn't a person, it's a country. It's America."

"Yes" Marta confirmed. "Even with all the magic in the world gone, Britannia's spirit still lives just like mine. While she may have been barren in the physical plane, in the Apeiron she can give birth to children if the humans born of her land plant the seeds. When your ancestors Dell stepped foot in the New World they allowed Britannia to have 13 children. As time went by these children grew up, rebelled, then created a new Goddess to worship as they saw their mother as weak. This Goddess would be Britannia's Child; her true child and your nation."

"Why not just say her name?"

"No magical being is allowed to say her true name" Marta explained. "Lord Kinsali doesn't wish for magical beings to say his mother's name. He finds it to be blasphemy."

Connecting the dots Charlene asked, "So Disney magic is really American magic?"

"Yes. The magic you feel in Walter's parks only belong to Britannia's Child. Impressed by Walter's talents Britannia's Child asked the High Gods to allow his characters to exist in the Apeiron; allowing them to bring joy and happiness to the children everywhere. In accordance to their plan the High Gods allowed magic to exist on Earth for the first time in over half a millennium. They believed that it's most innocent form, powered by the will of children, would full their imaginations for possibilities when they grow up. Unfortunately, by the greatest of all coincidence Walt Disney's magic brought to life Maleficent's damned soul."

"Yeah she filled us on with Walt's magic pen" said Maybeck. "But what makes that pen so special? What is it really?"

"Walter's pen is one of many used by the Prophets to write down the words of their Gods onto paper for mortal man to read and share. Those pens are one of the few magical artifacts to survive the Great Purge and Walter by chance happened to find one in his time in Princess Titania's kingdom."

"Who" Charlene asked?

"Queen Titania of the Fairies" Finn answered on the radio remembering his 8th grade year in theatre arts. "A Midsummer Night's Dream. Shakespeare play. Ever heard of it?"

"Yes, I have" said Marta. "I'm sure Shakespeare himself held a Quill of a Prophet before it fell into Walter's hands. None the less his pen gave Maleficent the ability to exist beyond the Apeiron and onto the physical plane. It was then she was known only to Walter, Mr. Davis, and Wayne; all of whom wisely agreed that she was too dangerous to exist in his parks."

Suddenly a purple wisp fell from the sky lobby's ceiling and in between Charlene and Marta.

"He wishes for you to read another entry from Maleficent's journals" Marta explained. "Go ahead."

Charlene scanned the wisp and a long text appeared before her holographic screen on her forearm.

 **Dark Data Downloaded.**

 **Journal Entry #1271**

 **January 28, 1986**

 **Today a disaster accorded along with a strange anomaly. The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on national television, showing that even the smartest of minds can't make everything safe. Yet as I watched the disaster something odd occurred. The moment the shuttle exploded on live broadcast I couldn't move my body and after 3 seconds I could move once more. This was too abnormal to feel like shock. Was this an anomaly of some kind? If so what is it? I must look deeper into this.**

 **In a week I'll be sent with Alan's young lackey to deliver some armaments to a rebellion in Afghanistan as a token of good fate. I'm sure that land is the epicenter of the Great Purge. I'm amazed to the name this rebellion calls itself; Mujahideen. I suppose the Gods allowed the title of the great warrior race to survive; amazing to see that we weren't fully erased from the pages of history. Nayama will not be pleased when I tell her this. Still, if the soul of a Mujahideen Fae is present in that land then I better find them before Mother Rossiya does.**

 **END OF TRANSMISSION**

"Are you guys reading this" Charlene asked her friends.

"Yeah" Finn replied. "Marta did Maleficent had anything to do with the towers being destroyed."

"Where is this coming from" Maybeck asked in confusion?

"Don't you guys see documentaries?" Finn explained, "Mujahideen was the name of the rebels who fought Soviets during the Cold War. They're the guys, who became the guys, who would hate us, and do 9/11."

"If your implying she had a role in that attack your mistaken" Marta responded to Finn. "The Mujahideen were the greatest warriors of the magical realm and the High God who ruled over them allowed their teachings to be taught to mortal man. As you know their teachings is a power not to underestimate."

Looking at her clock Charlene was shocked to see how much time had gone by. "Well, thanks for the story Marta. I got to get moving if you don't mind. Long way up to the top."

"I understand." She got up to her feet. "And don't worry, I'll be alright."

"What?" Charlene was just about to ask that.

"Don't worry about me. My pain isn't yours to bare." Once again with a clash of her staff Marta vanished from Charlene's sight.

Making her way back to the stairwell the tower's intercom was back up. "For all those in the NYPD and the NYFD we like to send a shout out and a thank you for keeping all our New York neighbors safe. This is **_Danger Zone_**."

The upbeat music managed to lighten Charlene's mood. Opening the door to the stairwell going up she took a deep breath. _Come on Charlie. You still got to get to the top._

* * *

Top of **the World** Observation Deck

Floor 110

Tower 2

8:20 P.M.

Upon reaching the top of the roof Finn step out from the West face entrance escalator and onto the blue floored balcony deck. On the West edge looking to setting sun was Maybeck.

"Hey Finn," Maybeck waved.

"Hey."

"What a view dude."

"Yeah, it really is something." Resting his hands on the white railing, Finn took a deep breath and to appreciate the view. The two boys then began to look through each scenic telescope to see every castle upon each horizon.

From below the boys could hear the radio play from the plaza's speakers. Finn noticed the song from the car radio earlier in the week. The song title: **_The Boys of Summer_**.

While Finn went his way looking at the castle in the distance, Maybeck pulled up his DHI map to check on everyone. He and Finn were on the top of Tower 2, titled the **South Tower** on the map, while Willa was beneath them on the 19th floor going down. Charlene was in the tower with the antenna on it, titled the **North Tower** , slowly making her way up. Philby laid underground in the mall beneath them.

After looking at the landscape for some time Finn turn to look at the inward railing having noticed the strangely shaped glass windows behind the benches that were just sticking out with no real purpose. Upon one of these windows on the north edge of the tower was a flag pole with an American flag waving slowly in the breezing air. This was what he was looking for.

Looking down he was reminded of what Maybeck told him about his race with Charlene two nights ago; how they could jump in mid-air like a video game with their DHI powers. He did just that and upon having one mid-jump in the air Finn landed softly on the roof floor below.

Then he stretched his arm to reach the wire holding the flag to the pole and suddenly a great growl of some kind came from within the building itself! The sound was like that of an industrial factory, mechanical and vibrant, but it's echo felt like that of an enraged beast!

"Whoa" Charlene said in shock on the radio! "What's that noise?"

Finn quickly backed away from the flag and the air slowly faded back to silence. He took a deep breath of relieve.

"Hey Finn. You mind coming up here" Maybeck said from behind as he looked north to Tower 1 and the mountains beyond.

Using his DHI powers Finn jumped his way back up to the deck next to Maybeck.

"I see the big guy didn't like you touching the old red, white, and blue" Maybeck then pointed towards an outdoor speaker raised on a pole. "Do you wonder how alive this place is?"

"I don't think we should ask that if we know what's best for us."

"Well I want to know." As the speaker continue to play the current song Maybeck asked, "I don't know if you can hear me big guy but if can would you mind Rick Rolling me."

The speaker then turned to static as the infamous and famous meme song played loud and clear.

 _Never going to give you up. Never going to let you down._

"Holy shit are we being Rick Rolled" Philby said in shock over the radio.

"That meme was supposed to die long ago." Finn asked Maybeck, "Why ask that?"

"Dude Rick Roll isn't the singer's real name. It's a meme term. We all grew up with it as kids, but that's the thing. That's a time when _we_ were kids, long after a certain infamous day."

The song continued as Maybeck listen closely to hear a message.

 _We've know each other for so long._

 _Your heart's been aching, but… you're too shy to say it._

 _Inside, we both know what's been going on…we know the game and we're going to play it._

 _And if you ask me how I'm feeling…don't tell me. Your too blind to see._

"Well let's be careful what to ask" Maybeck warned Finn behind him and the others on the radio.

"Alright." Finn wanted to give it try. "Would you please play us _Let it Go_."

The speaker then went silent and no music was playing.

Maybeck then asked his favorites. "Shake It Up? Skyfall? Titanium?"

Silence.

"I think he doesn't have the tunes of today."

Finn then realized this was a chance to understand what the towers were to Maleficent. "Okay tower I want to know something. What is Maleficent to you?"

Suddenly the DHI Artemis on his arm lite up with a text. **_Faithfully._**

Then the speakers then play the music.

 _They say the road aint no place to start a family._

 _Right down the line it's been you and me._

 _And love in a music man aint always what it's supposed to be._

 _Oh girl you stand by me._

 _I'm forever yours…Faithfully._

"And your mother" Finn asked pointing thumb across his shoulder to the flag behind him. "What do you think of America?"

The song then quickly changed songs like flipping a radio channel.

 _Though it's been a while I can still feel so much pain._

 _Like a knife that cuts you the wound heals…but that scar remains._

Another text appeared, but this one was odd to Finn? It wasn't an American based song or something one would play on the Fourth of July. The song's title laid the tone out. **_Every Rose has Its Thorn_**.

 _I know I could have saved a love that night…if I'd known what to say._

 _Instead of making love…we both made our separate ways._

 _But now I hear you found somebody new…and that I never meant that much to you._

 _To hear that tears me up inside…and to see you cuts me like a knife._

Everyone was still and quiet hearing that. If the towers were indeed faithful to Maleficent and they knew that America had built another tower to replace them then that spelled bad news.

"Why" Willa asked her question through the radio.

The next song's title answered that question. **_You Give Love a bad Name_**

 _An angel's smile is what you sell. You promise me heaven then put me through hell._

 _Chains of love got a hold on me. When passions a prison you can't break free._

There was no doubt about it. This was very bad news for all of them.

 _Shot through the heart, and you're to blame. You give love a bad name._

 _I play my part and you play your game. You give love a bad name._

Now it came down to the big question. Finn knew he had to warn the others of the potential danger. "Guys, you're not in any of the impacts zones, right?"

"Hold on I'm getting out of the stairwell" said Charlene.

"Same here" said Willa.

"I'm in the mall so I'm good" said Philby.

After a minute Finn asked the towers, "Do you remember the day you died?"

Without a moment of silence, the music changed songs once more. The song started to play with 70's funk and trumpets. The song's title was laid out on their Artemis.

 ** _September_**.

 _Do you remember…the - of September_

 _Love was changing the minds of pretenders…while chasing the clouds away…_

 _Our hearts were ringing…in the key that our souls were singing…_

 _Only blue talk and love…remember… the true love we share today…_

"What is it with this guy and disco music" Maybeck said in both shock and fascination.

 _Ba de Ya…say do you remember._

 _Ba de Ya…dancing in September._

 _Ba de Ya…never was a cloudy day_.

Thankfully there was no explosive response. Everyone was quiet till the end of the song after which all was silent. Everyone was quiet thinking on what to say next very carefully.

"Yeah" said Finn as he looked to the floor. "We remember that day."

"Liar."

The two boys jumped as Marta had appeared before them in silence without a hint of magic being used.

"Come again" Maybeck said in confusion?

"How can you remember a day you've never lived to see" Marta asked, her arms crossed in a commanding gesture?

"Is remembering the day good enough" asked Finn?

"No!" Marta said loudly as her hands grasped tightly around her arms. "What is it to you?"

"Come again" Charlene asked on the radio.

At that moment a hologram of Marta appeared before each of the kids. "September 11th ,2001! What is it to you!"

The anger in her tranquil voice was disturbing to hear, her stoic mask only upping the creep factor. What warranted this anger was out of question for all five of the kids. Yet while Maybeck swallowed hard he could see a different expression in Finn. Instead of fear there was determination slowly turning to anger.

"Why" Philby asked?

"Because it matters to me" Marta replied. "In a way it never did to you. To Britannia's Child."

In that moment Finn's fist clinched so loudly Maybeck could hear the bones crack from the shear pressure! "You first."

Marta's holograms disappeared, leaving herself to Finn. "You will give me an answer to my question."

Finn quickly yelled in anger. "You are our servant are you not!"

Now it was Marta who was surprised to the boy's outburst. Before Maybeck could say anything Willa on the radio pleaded, "Finn calm down."

"NO" Finn yelled in fury! "You want to know what 9/11 was for me? It was my dad's call to war; a war where he died getting his head blown off and left to rot in some far away land!"

Maybeck's eyes widen in horror to the fate of his friend's father. Now he knew why he dodge the question a few nights ago.

Finn then walked up to Marta and rose his finger touching her stone mask! "I don't know who you are or what Maleficent told you but don't for a damn minute think this place is more important to you than it is for me or anyone in America! Got it!"

Before he knew it, Marta grasped his arm pulling it away from her. Even though he could feel the pressure crushing down on his bone Finn didn't flinch as he looked directly into her stone covered eyes. The two were frozen in a deadlock stare.

Then Maybeck put his hand on Finn's shoulder. "Come on Finn; let's just cool it down and let this go."

Yet instead of Finn standing down Marta let go of his arm before letting out a deep sigh of regret. She then turned and walked away to the West edge, sitting down where Maleficent's hologram had been, far away from the two boys.

Finn too walked away to the East edge of the building leaving Maybeck standing by himself.

"Guys are you okay" Willa asked on the radio.

"Yeah" Maybeck replied. "But…Jesus man. Did any of you know that about Finn?"

"No" said Willa.

"No" said Charlene.

"No" said Philby.

"Jesus give him strength." For a few minutes all was silent. No music was playing. Finn and Marta were on opposite sides of the tower's observation deck. With enough time gone by for everyone to calm down, Maybeck walked over to Finn who was looking at the night. He could see apart from Finn's tight grasp on the railing, trying to hold his emotions at bay.

"It's nothing dude" He took a very deep breath. "I'll be good."

Resting on the railing a good distance away and avoiding eye contact Maybeck asked, "So…how did you find _that_ out."

"I cracked into my family safe" Finn answered. "Found it in his death report file. Had one picture to go with it. Bullet to the head. Execution style."

The joy in Maybeck extinguished. He had never felt like this since Nirvana happened three years ago downtown. "Sorry to hear that."

"Don't be" Finn said as he got himself back to normal. "Compared to other way of dying by terrorists I say that the best way to go."

"You are indeed correct on that" Maleficent voice said from the sky once again. She then let out a small clap of applause. "Well done boy with Britomartis. You remembered her word and established your authority over her. Your resolve was strong and composed. Very impressive Whitman."

Suddenly a flash of light appeared atop the antenna of the other tower. It had expelled a purple wisp that floated down towards the two boys.

"For that I believe you are ready to see Wayne's biggest mistake."

The wisp then exploded revealing a hologram of Maleficent appeared and she was holding a younger Wayne off his feet!

* * *

 **PLAYING RECORDED MEMORY…**

"WHERE IS THE PEN WAYNE!"

"I told you I don't know where it is" Wayne said in great anger to the fairy. "And if I did, you think I would give it to you after what you've done!"

Maleficent then grasped his head in her hand making him scream in agony! Letting go she her face was filled with shock. "You really don't know where it is?"

Coming from behind the boys, two men then came up to the deck from the exit escalator. One of them was African with a pistol and the other was a white man with an AK-47 aimed at the fairy.

"Put him down Xana" the white man yelled in a Russian accent!

Maleficent turn to the man, grasping her red claws around Wayne's neck. "Shoot me and I swear to you I'll rip his throat out!"

"If you kill him then make no mistake we will kill you" The man with the pistol said in a normal American accent before pulling out a detonator of some kind. "For good."

Then across the tower on the West edge, where Marta was still present, an Asian man came up the entrance escalator with an M-16 aimed at the fairy. "You let him go now!"

Maleficent snarled at the three men around her. "So here the rabbles come to together to die." She squeezed Wayne's throat tight. "Damn you all."

Then a masculine voice echoed in the sky. "No. Damn you."

Marta gasped heavily as she turned to see a blue hologram of a large man whose was as handsome as he was muscular. He wore ancient spartan armor with a sword in hand and shield in the other. Another hologram of the spartan man appeared behind the African and Russian giving Finn and Maybeck a good glance at him. His brown hair striking a resemblance to Maleficent's lover from the artwork.

"Cedrick" Maleficent grinded her teeth in distain. "How did you…"

"Don't forget I'm the one who always beats you Talia." The spartan fairy's blue holograms then stretched their arms to the three men who had weapons. "To this weapon of truth, I bless to be swift and sure."

The guns in the men's hands then turned silver as magical indentations curved across their metal bores!

"That spell", Maleficent's eyes then widened in fear. "How did Fauna tell you…"

"No. I told her" Cedrick un-sheaved his sword that too was blessed. "A little spell I learned from my last master before I died." Looking at Wayne with a nod of respect he yelled, "NOW KILL HER!"

With her eyes turning wild like that of a wild animal Maleficent used her free hand to throw a fireball at Cedrick before quickly drawing her gun and firing at the African American holding the detonator.

"Spread out!" The spartan fairy used his sword to destroy her fireball into smoke. He swung it again to split the bullet she fired. The bullet split in two but one of the fragments hit the man none the less, thankfully it only gazed his shoulder.

The Russian then fired his rifle hitting Maleficent in the shoulder, making it explode as she screamed! "LEWIS FINISH HER!"

Then across the observation deck the Asian man fired from his long rifle hitting Maleficent arm that held Wayne and going through her torso, exploding bits of rib bones to the white railing.

Hitting the floor Wayne yelled at the African man, "Kill her Washington!"

The man shot by Maleficent then pressed the red button to the detonator.

BOOM!

A small explosion burst from Maleficent's chest making red blood spill on the observation deck. The wounded man then got up to his feet and with his other arm aimed his blessed pistol at Maleficent and unload his magazine.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Unlike begin shot by one of the intruders, in this memory Maleficent's force field didn't vaporize the bullets and they all pierced her body making her drop. Her body then slowly began to evaporate into black mists.

"Good shot there Lewis" Cedrick patted the Asian man on his shoulder who didn't seem to mind.

"That's what she gets for burning my village" Lewis replied.

The hologram near Lewis disappeared making Marta get up and look to the remaining hologram of Cedrick near Finn and Maybeck. As quickly as she could she teleported to their side of the tower; witnessing along with Finn and Maybeck.

As the Asian man came to help his wounded companion, the remaining hologram of the spartan fairy lend Wayne a hand.

"Thanks Cedrick." Wayne got up to his feet.

"No thank you. All of you."

Then from behind the men a hologram of various colors and person's laid behind them expect for Wayne. Behind the wounded African American was a green hologram of the African Chieftain from Maleficent's artwork. Behind the Asian was a yellow hologram of a Vietnamese woman dressed as a divine Empress. And finally, behind the Russian was a red hologram of a late teenage girl with flamboyant red hair wearing a golden kokoshnik and armor.

Maleficent laugh quietly as she her slowly tried to get up.

"What are you laughing about" the Russian man asked?

Rising to her feet Maleficent continued to laugh despite blood spiting from her mouth. "Fools, all of you. It doesn't matter if you kill me here I already killed your true loves, and nothing is going to bring them back."

Before any of the men could even respond the spartan fairy dash at Maleficent, impaling her heart with his sword. To Finn this was too reminiscent of how she died by Prince Philip in Sleeping Beauty.

"And to think I made love to you under the eyes of the Gods." He pressed the sword deeper, making Maleficent cough up a splash of blood. "I can't believe you named these towers after me."

Even though her body was breaking apart into black dust Maleficent's continued to laugh. "I didn't name them after you fool. My Kinsali is more important to me than you my pet."

Cedrick then twisted the sword, the disgusting sound of ribs cracking as Maleficent screamed in pain. "Even as an old hag you've never learned to be quiet." He then pulled the sword out.

Wayne then walked over to pick up a Colt 45 revolver laying on the deck. Cedrick's blue hologram got then got behind Wayne and the two joined in line with their comrades. Four men. Four holograms. And before them a fairy with a gap through her heart and bullets through her chest.

Maleficent on her knees merely stared at the men in an insidious manor, her tongue licking the blood off her smile. At that moment she merely pointed her hand in a gun gesture.

"Bang."

Nothing happened.

The holograms then infused their souls to the guns of the four men. Then they opened fired in a hail of bullets!

Before they knew it Maleficent's body was torn to pieces; bone and flesh becoming graphite and turning into dust. When the firing was done all that was left was her cloths behind soaked in a pool of blood which slowly turned from red to black. By then all the men dropped their empty magazines.

The Russian man then said, "Quickly Wayne, the drawing."

"I know Vasili."

Wayne then dug through the remains to retrieve her leg case, unlocked it with an override code, and took out the folded animation drawing. Looking at Wayne couldn't help but look at the signatures at the bottom of the drawing. Taking a deep breath Wayne closed his eyes and said, "Sorry Marc."

He then torn the animated drawing down the middle and again across, destroying the thing that allowed Maleficent to exist in the physical plane.

Falling to his knees Wayne was quickly patted on the back by the man named Washington. "Victor you got those cigarettes."

"Yup. Been holding them for a very long time." Victor then took out a pack of cigarettes and passed one to each man; Washington, Lewis, and Wayne. The four then came together with Wayne holding the shredded paper of Maleficent's drawing in hand. Lewis then took out a lighter and lite the pieces of paper on fire and each man took a piece to lite their own cigarette. As their holograms started to fade away the four men took a collective exhausted breath before disappearing.

 **END OF RECORDING…**

* * *

In the moment Finn, Maybeck, and even Marta herself forgot the drama from earlier.

"And…it didn't end there" Maybeck asked?

Marta took a deep breath before quietly replying. "Of course not. I've…never seen that memory play before."

"So even though Wayne destroyed her drawing Maleficent survived" Finn said to himself to fit the pieces together. "How?"

"Lord Kinsali" Marta replied as she stroked the railing. "Despite her evil character he allowed her soul to live through the Apeiron. He gave Maleficent a chance she deserved. She protected his mother from other magical beings and so her duty as a warrior-servant was rewarded. Still despite all that she was still a prisoner to Walt Disney's kingdom."

"Then can I ask you something?" Finn motioned the two to the north edge to where the American flag stood. "Does he have a problem with me touching this."

"Yes, he does." Maleficent's voice echoed from the sky. "But having heard the sacrifice of your father Kinsali will allow it. May I ask as to what you plan to do with his mother's banner?"

Knowing the towers were listen in on him Finn chose his words carefully. "Well I've always been a kid who thinks that a flag goes to the highest point on a tower, so that's what I'm going to do."

Maybeck turn to the first tower adjacent looked up to the large red and white radio mast. "You mean you're going up the big antenna?"

"Yup."

In the sky Maleficent chuckled. "You know Whitman the only time an American banner flew on top of the mast was when it was in a pile of rubble on the ground instead of in the sky."

He already knew that.

"Very well then. Once you've achieved your task we will dine." Maleficent's voice turn to Marta. "Kinsali wishes for you to remain there Britomartis. He wishes to give you something for your loyalty."

The sky went silent.

Looking at the antenna once more Maybeck turn to Finn with a smile on his face. "Alright then; let's get moving."

"Funny, I was just about to ask you for help" Finn replied as the two jumped over the rail and onto the roof. The boys then lower the flag from its wire and folded it as best he could in a triangle fashion.

"Hey Finn" Maybeck whispered quietly. "You think it's safe to be around…" He motioned his eyes to Marta.

"Let's just keep quiet on that for now okay" Finn whispered back.

From above Marta could only stare at what was happening. Never has any of any realm touched the banner to Britannia's Child. Not even Maleficent could do such a thing and at this moment that sacred rule was overruled by two boys.

Flag in hand the boys used a stairwell to get back on the deck. "Guys does the gift shop on the deck have backpacks?"

"Yes" Philby answered to Finn on the radio.

"Okay then" Maybeck said from behind. "Let's stop there first."

Before the boys moved, Marta's grip tightened on her staff. "I'm sorry."

Finn and Maybeck turn to her.

"Forgive me for my behavior. "I couldn't help but feel his anger."

"Um…anger" Maybeck said troublesome.

"Yes. Towards that." She then pointed to the flag Finn held in his hands. "He hates what Britannia's Child did to him and what she has now become."

"And that would be" Finn couldn't help but ask?

Marta took a deep breath and turned. "Ask Maleficent."

Patting Finn on the shoulder Maybeck whispered, "Come on, let's get going."

Finn nodded before turning to Marta. "Okay then, apology accepted. If you stay cool, then we'll answer what you asked earlier."

The two boys then made their way to the west edge of the building and down the exit escalator. Suddenly a hologram of a man in a black suite appear, followed by Wayne's blue hologram coming from nowhere to punch the man!

"HOLLINGSWORTH!" Wayne punched the man, knocking him to the railing with a bloody nose. The holograms then quickly disappeared.

"What was that Marta" Finn asked the fairy from afar.

"A moment Lord Kinsali wished for you to know. I would take note of it."

The boys none the less made their way down the escalator, leaving Marta alone on the roof top. She then quietly turned the antenna of the first tower and kneel; holding her staff behind her in a bowing fashion. "You wish to speak to me my Lord."

After a minute of silence, a purple wisp expelled from the tower's antenna floating in the air before reaching her. Marta then stretched her arms to grab it, only for it to transform into a familiar sword with a ring tied on a string at the end of its hilt. She gasped the sword in her hands. It was Cedrick's sword, the one used to strike Maleficent down so long ago and then some.

But what caught Marta's attention was the ring at the end. She tore it off and held it preciously. For a time, she merely stared at the ring, until tears began to trickle through her magical mask to the ring. She then looked at her other hand upon which she bore the same ring on her finger.

Dropping her staff and sword she fell to her knees and grasped the ring close to her chest, wailing in agony to the sky.

* * *

800 feet beneath Discovery Island outside the Magic Kingdom (The Real World)

The Vault

8:35 P.M.

Two green wisps floated before the safety boxes that laid around the wall of the secure vault.

"Oh, the memories" said Aleesa. "Do you recall all the bizarre adventures we shared."

"I remember those days" Nayama said in a shrug tone. "I try to find happiness in the memories."

Soon a third wisp appeared in the vault. It was Elvira. "Kinsali just gave Britomartis Cedrick's Sword of Truth."

"And Maleficent is alright with that" Aleesa asked?

"Don't worry about it" said Nayama. "With the power of **The World** in her hands she can't be defeated by any magical weapon."

"If were lucky one day she'll share all it's secrets with us." Elvira then joined the others looking at the safety boxes. "Isn't Maleficent done dressing or is it simply that dinner isn't ready."

"It's the latter half, but for the most part she's entertained by what's going on in New York City."

"Come again" Elvira asked in confusion?

Aleesa then informed her. "Oh, that gunman we captured, turns out he's the older brother to the famous winch who got beaten earlier this week. Now that Maleficent burned their dwelling and her two brothers are 'missing' the people are revolting again. That makes this what, the tenth time this has gone on this year?"

Knowing Maleficent, Elvira understood. Nothing entertained her more that seeing simpleton fools tear at each other apart. It's what she planned for King Stefan and his kingdom by cursing his only heir. But regardless weather it's the 14th century or 21st century; fear always prevails as the greatest weapon in making people destroy each other.

None the less the three wisps looked at each safety deposit box in the vault as they recall their many adversaries. There were two benefits in Maleficent's time of being a Keeper to Britannia's Child. The first was that she traveled the world, learning the new world and all it's inventions. The second is that she could awake other dormant souls and make them loyal to her.

One box's plate read: **Greece 1981: Lady Britomartis/ Guardian Artemis. Lady Marin/ Guardian Aquila** **.** **Master Aiolia/Guardian Leo. Mistress Shaina/ Guardian Serpentarius. Mistress Callisto/Guardian Hera. The Gorgon Medusa. Eris: Goddess of Discord.** Within it laid dirt from the land along with other small artifacts, allowing Britomartis to exist within the realms of Disney's magic. Although there was more to her than that.

Box by box the fairies remember the journey's they had; both in the allies they made and the foes they've fought.

 **Chile 1973: Lord Santiago.**

 **Israel 1974: Adam.**

 **United Kingdom and Ireland 1975: The Goddess Britannia. King Lenjohnis/ Guardian Deaf Leopard. Queen Cordelia/ Guardian Aelita. King Elatha/Guardian U2. Lord Partholon/ Guardian Whitesnake. Master Busirane/ Guardian Black Sabbath. Mistress Morrigan/ Guardian Raven.**

 **Argentina 1976: The Five Mamas: Mama of the Sea. Mama of Nature. Mama of the Moon. Mama of the Mountains. Mama of the Sky.**

 **Nicaragua 1981: the Guardians K.I.S, A.Z.T.C, and X.L.R.**

 **Afghanistan 1986: Master Muhammed Jiriya. Mistress Sumaya. The High Phoenix.**

 **Ukraine 1988: Lord Chernobog. Master Cobach.**

 **Panama 1989: Lord Wammu.**

 **Kuwait 1991: The Demon Queens Ezdeath, Agra, and Satana.**

 **Rwanda 1994: Princess Kamaliya/ Guardian Queen Bee. Master Chaka. Mistress Enyaba. Chief Kopa/ Guardian Black Panther.**

 **Italy 1995: The Gods Romulus and Remus. Master Dio/Guardian Jupiter. Lady Flora/Guardian Minerva. Lady Fauna/Guardian Ceres. Lady Merryweather/Guardian Vesta.**

 **Germany 1995: King Oberon/ Guardian Rammstein. Master Kayensar. Master Dellso. Master Dorrack. Master Thrawn.**

 **France 1995: Queen Titania/ Guardian Telephone. Princess Acacia/ Guardian Joana. Lady Sarah. Lady Felicity. Lady Zalia. Lady Lovania. Lady Konstanze.**

 **China 1998: The Monkey King. The Red Dragon. The Three Teachers. High Monk.**

 **Russia 1999: The Goddess Mother Rossiya. Mistress Rozanica/ Guardian Aria. Master Deivos/ Guardian Kino.**

Indeed, what joyful times those were.

However, one box that was open and it was the most secured one of all. It was locked by both physical and magical security mechanisms. Of all the artifacts found by Maleficent this one was the most powerful of all, on par with Walt's magical pen.

The box had no title for it was now Maleficent's. It had only a location, a date, and a name.

 **Iraq 1991: Lilith.**

"Wow she's going to show them the crown" Elvira said in amazement. "Let's see how it looks on her."

The three wisps then went through the vault door, it's magical field deactivated, and into Maleficent's bedroom where she was watching television. It was amazing to see that in the 18 years gone by TVs had gone from being big wardrobe size bulks into thin flat screens that were so pristine in clarity they could just jump into the picture.

The breaking news on this day was once again at New York City, only this time the enemy was clear to see.

"The crowds of thousand have now reached the memorial" the news caster said as he behind him two crowds were feet away from each other; a line in the sand drawn by the black street and a white marbled floor. "One side protesters to the events in Orlando and the other made of New York officers, firefighters, and construction crews whom are determine to keep the crowd away from **the World** Trade Center Memorial which ends at this white marble floor here on West Street."

"Huh, I should've curse that child for 18 years" Maleficent said as she could sense the wisps behind her. "Look at them. Six centuries and nothing has changed."

"Wait I think someone's lighting something on fire." A roar from both side could be heard as a woman from protesting crowd could be seen on holding a glass bottle with it's rag lite on fire. Only it wasn't a rag, it was an American flag.

"Take your damn flag!" The woman threw it over to the crowd of officers and fireman, smashing into the white marble and setting the whole flag on fire. Then hell broke loss as the New York servants and workers charged into the protesters with blinding rage as they beat anyone they came into contact.

"Oh no" the news caster panicked. "We have to break off air. That was an American flag burnt on Ground Zero. Things are about to get ugly."

The crowds then screamed in horror as the sound of gunfire echoed in the air!

"Oh my God! Cut the feed!"

Maleficent slowly grabbed the remote from the stand next to her and muted the volume, taking a disappointing sigh. "What do you think?"

The three wisps silent.

"I feel the same." Their anger couldn't be expressed in words. "It's a good thing I wasn't wearing this" Maleficent pointed to a silver crown that resembled more of a tiara band than an actual crown. "If Kinsali heard this he would've probably killed one of those kids if they were in the wrong place."

Nayama couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure that you want to depend on them to find the pen."

"I told you I have no choice" Maleficent said as her fist grasped. "This may be the last chance for me to find that pen and be free of this damn park."

"And if that plan fails then what" Aleesa asked?

She turned the television back on hearing the live feed from New York City. Maleficent's Unseelie instincts came into mind as she saw people born under the same Goddess tear each other apart in the name of tolerance, inclusion, and love. She warned Walter that as more children watched his movies, their eyes would be blind the truth of **the world**. Now that the evidence was clear it was time to do what all Unseelie Fairies do when the light is to heavy on the scales of order.

Balance.

"If I won't be free from this place, then I will do what I swore long ago."

"You're really going to do it this year" Elvira asked?

"Yes" Maleficent answered. "They've disrespected me, Kinsali, and above all Mr. Davis. Now with this little protest, my patience is gone."

"You can tell the kids that when dinner is ready." Aleesa then changed the subject. "Why did you release Britomartis earlier? You sure she can be trusted?"

"A person can change a lot in eighteen years Aleesa" Maleficent replied as she continued to watch the television.

"Okay then. What about her daughter?"

* * *

Floor 103

Tower 1

8:40 P.M.

"We hope all you New Yorkers out there are having the time of your lives. From the station we love you and we love this city. This is New York City's rock station." A station jingle followed. "WAXQ…AXQ…N. Y. C!"

Wanting to scope out a business floor, Philby took an elevator to a random floor near the top of the building. It was odd that despite being in a colossal office building he never considered exploring a normal office floor until now. As he waited in the elevator another favorite classic began to play on the speakers. The song was **_In The Air Tonight_** , a tranquil song that always put him in a dream like trance.

Once the doors to the elevator opened he found himself in dark hallway with all the lighting turned off. Apart from the music on the intercom, all the electricity on the floor was off. The floor was covered in rows upon rows of white office cubicles that each had an old style dial up telephone and large computers. As he got a closer look he realized that many of the windows were broken with chairs and blunt objects nearby.

Walking in a dream like trance to the music Philby made his way to one many broken windows to see down below. The forest below looked like moss instead of trees and in the distance, he could see the castles. From his view he could see the other tower and the sea behind it to the south, and the Cinderella Castle to the West with the sun on the horizon. It was a good thing his mind admired the sight because he couldn't shake what he saw earlier on the roof.

As the song echoed through the empty office floor, Philby explored every room and space that he could find. To him exploring this tower was like exploring the shipwreck of the Titanic. Turning a corner to the East side the office space was illuminated only by the twilight skies of the night. While office cubicles litter the other ring of the tower, along the core were large offices with desks, filling cabinets, and polished furniture. Installed sheetrock walls help give some privacy to each workspace both in and around the tower.

Working his way to a corner of the building Philby found a business room with a sign nearby reading **Cantor Fitzgerald**. He walked into the room and took a seat, admiring the mountains in the distance. As he sat there only now did Philby began to feel uneasy as he thought about the sudden outburst from Marta.

"Hey guys, can I talk to you all for a minute" he called the others.

"Yeah what is it Dr. Phil" said Maybeck.

"Don't call up Marta okay, I want to talk about her. You know off the record."

"Good idea there Philby" said Finn. "She was all calm and normal until we asked the tower about _that day._ "

"Yeah" said Maybeck. "The moment we brought that up she completely lost it. I swear man I though she was going to kill us."

"I think she has a right to be upset" said Charlene. "When Maleficent brought up 9/11 she looked really depressed. I don't know why. It's not like she lost anyone here like back in the real world."

Looking around at the empty room Philby pondered on that last sentence. Slowly but surely, he then realized that the answer to Marta's behavior was right in front of him.

Emptiness.

"Guys. I think I know why we've haven't seen any magical creature." Philby explained, "This place imagination realm used to have a lot of fairies like Maleficent and Marta around, then _that day_ happened and the whole place was wiped out."

"What makes you think that" Willa asked, wishing to hear the explanation to Philby's conclusion.

"Think about out? That pyramid we saw under the Magic Kingdom, yeah that thing, it used to be stationed at the real towers. Maleficent found fairies, brought them to the towers instead of the parks, Wayne got on to her, and he took her out."

"Yeah I see where your going with this" said Finn. "And when he burned her drawing he thought she was dead."

"But she had a backup plan" Philby pieced it together. "That plan being the towers."

"Then how come she's still alive even though the towers are gone" Charlene asked? "Not only that but if that drawing she had was 'Disney' magic, shouldn't she be free of the parks?"

"I think she's tied to Disney regardless" Willa suggested. "Her body and everything exist because of her animator and of Disney. She can't cut herself away from those things. It's just not possible."

"Or…" Maybeck expressed. "She countered the Disney magic with something more real. Something evil. Like _that day_ perhaps?"

Philby clapped as they pieced everything together and finally see the picture. This was why Maleficent brought them to the towers. It wasn't just a place where she would meet her animator, it was castle to a kingdom for magical creatures in an unseen world. A world that Walt Disney managed to tap into.

Finn then reminded everyone, "That still doesn't explain why Marta lost it."

"Leave her to me" said Charlene. "Trust me on this one."

"Alright it's your call, but if you do she's going to ask you about _that day_ and you're going to have to answer her. What will you tell her?"

A moment of silence passed until Charlene replied with a single word. "History."

* * *

(Meanwhile)

Roof Access Stairwell

Floor 107

Tower 1

Finn took a disappointing sigh to the word. "Yeah I guess you're right."

"Don't worry Finn. I'll be fine."

"Alright then" said Maybeck. "Me and Finn will see you on the roof."

With the restaurant still closed shut, Finn lead Maybeck to the roof stairwell entrance. Before opening the door, Maybeck shouted, "Wait! We need to get something."

"What" Finn asked?

"Rope. You know as a safety line if we have to climb out in the open."

Finn couldn't believe he could forgot that. "Good idea."

"Alright then." Maybeck then spoke in a Schwarzenegger impression, "I'll be back."

Like that Maybeck bolted back to the elevator hall, leaving Finn once again by himself. Opening the door, he made his way up the two-story stairwell until he came to contact with a heavy door which had a yellow triangle with a radio label in the center. The door was tightly secure having a physical lock and a keycard lock.

 _Well that explains why they couldn't escape to the roof._

Using his DHI powers, Finn pass through the door to open it from the other side. He then picked up the backpack containing the flag and he made his way down the narrow hallway. Opening the door at the other end he found himself in what appeared to be a small garage of small construction equipment. Looking to his side Finn look to see a road ramp leading outside. At the end of the ramp was the large antenna that stood in the center of the building and above that was a violet blue sky with stars. The roof of Tower 1 was a forest of radio antennas and dish relays of all shapes and sizes. There was no fence of any kind, making falling off the edge a possibility.

While Finn waited on Maybeck he could feel the roof rumble beneath his feet. Looking behind himself, he saw a pulse of energy shoot up the large radio mast before it expelled a purple wisp that dropped like a rock from the sky and onto the roof. Not to his surprise the wisp landed right in front of him.

He scanned it, in slight anticipation of what he will get. It was a journal entry.

 **Dark Data Downloaded.**

 **Journal Entry #1703**

 **November 25, 1991**

 **Mrs. Audley is dead. The talented woman who gave voice to me has passed on earlier this day in California. The infection within her lungs had finally taken her. Wayne told me not to long ago. He was expecting a change in my existence in the physical realm. There has been no change. While I may only watch her from afar I respect Mrs. Audley in giving me voice, even if it was older than my true voice. It is odd though when I watch Sleeping Beauty because now I can't see myself. It can't see myself act, talk, move, think, behave, or even pretend to be the cartoon I was born from. I've seen too much truth. Learned far too much. In fact, I would be shocked if I did indeed act like that because my goodness what cliché behavior! None the less, Wayne told me that she wished to be buried with her people, under the star of King David. I was hoping she would chose her home of New York, so I could pay my respects, but the choice was hers and I will respect that.**

 **Thinking about Mrs. Audley I can't help but wonder when it will be Mr. Davis's time? And more importantly; what I will be when I lament in the decades if not centuries to come. He's already showing signs of aging, having not been able to come to the twin towers this year as we always do on my birthday. That was the first time I realized that life was indeed limited, but I guess in the end that's the grand difference between us. A man can live a century at the most and a fairy like me can live a millennium at the least. Thinking about it makes me think back to that day he first called me to the twin towers. Not a moment goes by when I thought about how I would still see that beautiful sunset long after he is gone. If there is one thing I fear it is the day I must be before his grave. It's a curse to be forever beautiful while all that you see ages, dies, and is ultimately forgotten. That was the fate of my people, but I will not let a fate come to Mr. Davis. I will not let this be the fate of Mrs. Audley. I will not allow it.**

 **To this day I swear that I will keep the names who earn my respect to live eternally through myself. I will keep them alive by the monument's they've created, their achievements and legacies. This I promise to myself and to this I will uphold.**

 **May your rest in slumber, Eleanor Zellman Audley. Thank you for giving me voice and existence.**

 **END OF TRANSMISSION…**

"A millennium" Willa said in shock.

"Damn she's old" said Maybeck on the radio. "But on the serious note, I assume that she has to face her animator dying when the time came. I want to know how she took that."

"Well ask her that when we meet her" said Charlene.

Just before everyone turned off their radios Philby quickly asked, "Hey you think it's strange things have been quiet?"

"What do you mean" Finn asked?

"Why haven't we seen another flash from the antennae up there?" Philby explained, "When I scanned a a wisp it triggered a flash."

"Same here" said Willa.

A rumbling quake shook the roof, making Finn loss his balance. He noticed that the large antenna in the center of the roof was starting to glow!

"Oh crap" said Maybeck on the radio. "Careful Whitman! Don't get blown off the roof!"

Below he could hear the bells within the forest start to ring. Realizing he was about to get a full blast Finn laid flat on the ground and covered his ears. A few seconds later the growing light upon the antenna exploded into the thunderous synthetic horn which blew air over Finn's head. Unfortunately, his eyes were open slightly and the white light blinded him for a few seconds.

* * *

His eyesight returned to normal, but he was in a pile of dead leaves underneath a tree. Getting up Finn was shocked to see that he was in the Arlington National Cemetery all the way in Washington DC.

 _What the hell!_

They sky was cold and dark as the winter air, the grass still green despite the cold, and thousands of white tombstones laid organized row by row like a regiment of troops. Finn knew instantly what he was seeing. It was a memory from his past; the day of the funeral. Fifty feet away he could see the casket and the rows of chairs laid about, all of them empty. Naturally Finn ran quickly to the grave for a few seconds.

"WHITMAN STOP" Marta's voice echoed in the sky!

* * *

Finn's foot stumbles onto something at that moment and after blinking for a second he found himself running to the edge of the tower!

"Oh crap" he shouted, trying to stop his momentum! He had tripped over one of the window washer's rail tracks and was now stumbling towards the edge of the building!

Then from behind Finn felt a rope go around his body and he was pulled back safely to the roof. Finn landed on his shoulder and took notice that the rope was a string; a blue glowing string! Following the string, he could see who was holding it at the other end.

It was a girl with a yo-yo. In that moment, Finn's heart and body froze. Not out of fear but out of beauty.

The girl had long brunet hair and wore a white robe like Marta. Her blue eyes were hypnotically alluring. The small freckles on her checks showed a characteristic of weakness but her tan skin radiated fortitude and tenacity. Finn had always seen pretty girls at school, but he felt a different sensation looking upon this girl. She was quiet and only stared at Finn as she could tell that he was intrigued by her presence.

With everything in it's animation form once again it made the moment more magical.

"Let the boy go Amethyst." Marta's hologram fizzled in the air next to the girl unable to from.

The girl at that moment untied Finn from her yo-yo toy which resembled more of a lasso and emulated a blue aura that crawled across her body. Before Finn knew it, she vanished in a flash of light like Maleficent's teleportation spell.

* * *

(3 minutes earlier)

Floor 106

Tower 1

Finding string for a safety line was quicker than Maybeck thought. He only had to yank the string from window blindfolds. Laying them across his shoulder and made his way back to the stairwell. He heard the commotion from above and then the rumbling force from the rooftop. Knowing Finn was up top Maybeck dashed up the stairs till he was back to the steel door that lead to the roof.

"Oh crap" he said to himself. "Careful Whitman! Don't get blown off the roof!"

Maybeck focused on his DHI powers to go through the door, but he was halted by the string around his shoulder. He could hear the growing power atop the roof making him drop the string and go through the door.

The roof shook to the thunderous boom that burst the door that lead outside open, reflexing the white light from the antenna. Despite being in a hallway perpendicular to the ramp the light blind Maybeck for a moment.

 _Shit._ Maybeck covered his eyes from the light.

* * *

Lowering his hand, Maybeck froze in terror to the change in setting. Instead of being in a hallway to the roof of the old Trade Center he was in a hallway of a correctional facility; the Dallas Country Jail.

 _Oh crap. Not this place._

The door Maybeck entered from had disappeared, so he had no choice but to move forward. Opening the door at the other end, he found himself in a visitor's area with the booths having the glass windows and wired phones nearby. Only one booth had a light on and Maybeck walked towards it.

Everything was like he remembered. The sense of despair emulating from the walls. The vile air that filled his lungs. And the dreed of having to contact the sinful. Walking in front of the booth a sign above read; **Prisoner 10469. Xavier Simmons Maybeck.**

Maybeck picked up the phone to the booth and slowly his anger flowed into the fists. After so many years his anger has still not died out. In a moment of rage Maybeck shouted and threw the phone at the window making it shatter into pieces and leaving a small crack on the glass.

"WHITMAN STOP" Marta's voiced yelled from out of nowhere!

Maybeck looked up, fearing that something may be happening to his friend. He quickly ran for the door and ran down the hallway he came from. At the other end of the hall the door had reappeared and so he opened it. When he did he collided with Philby.

* * *

Maybeck was back in the tower and everything was in an animation form. It turns out there were no birds circling around their heads.

"What the heck" Philby said in distain as he got up from the collision.

Maybeck was always one to make light of things but what he saw didn't warrant it. "Did you see anything odd when that flash appeared?"

"Yeah, earlier before" Philby answered. "Maleficent told me not to tell you guys that."

"Let the boy go Amethyst" Marta's voice could be heard from afar.

"Finn" Maybeck shouted! The setting and landscape were all animated as before, returning to the appearance of a European tapestry. The large radio mast nearby was slowly returning to normal as its illuminating light was fading away. From afar a fizzled hologram of Marta tried to appear but to no avail. As for Finn he was still as a statue, eyes wide opened as if he had seen something he can't forget.

"Hey, Finn" Philby shouted as he ran to his friend. "You okay up here?"

Snapping out of his trance Finn got up on his feet. "Yeah."

"You still want to climb that thing after what just happened" Maybeck asked Finn from behind as he look to the tower's antenna.

"I don't think it will do that again."

The three boys turn their attention to the colossal radio antenna that really was the size of a normal radio tower being 20 or 30 stories high. The mast was divided into four sections. The first and third were painted red. The second and forth were painted white.

"I promised myself I would get this flag up there" Finn shrugged the backpack on his back. "And I intend to get it up there before we eat."

Maybeck turn to Philby and said, "Can you go to the door and pick up the string I dropped please. I'm going up there with him and were going to need something to hold on to."

"Alright" Philby said as he ran back to the roof entrance.

Turning to Finn he asked, "Marta called out someone's name earlier? Was there someone else up here?"

For a moment Finn was quiet, until he laid his head back with a confident smile. "No. I was just lucky that all."

Maybeck didn't know why he was smiling, but none the less he was happy for him. "There you go. A good smile can fix anything."

Philby returned with the string. "Here you go. Good luck to you mates."

"Cheerio. Tot. Tot." Maybeck said in a British accent.

Philby couldn't help but laugh at the stereotype taught. "You know we rarely say that in U.K."

"What about tea time" Maybeck asked?

"Donnie" Finn patted Maybeck on the shoulder. "Come on, we have a flag to raise."

The boys then look to begin their climb at that base of the radio mast. The square base was covered with walkways and pipes, and after climbing a short flight of stairs the boys came across a hard hatch that looked as if it belonged to a warship. Finn and Maybeck open the hatch together and look within the antenna. Above them was a compact series of stairs going straight up. So now they climb.

* * *

Stairwell B

Floor 78

Tower 1

8:50 P.M.

Charlene took another break on the 78th floor, resting herself for the final climb. Even in animation form the radio on the intercom was still on. "We are about to hit the 9 o-clock hour and looks like the boys here are close to calling it a night. Not to worry our fellow New Yorkers we'll be on the air a few tracks longer. This is 104.3 station playing to you under the stars. Here is _**Silent Running**_."

With only a few floors to go Charlene return to the stairwell. Her Artemis waypoint showed her the path and she followed. By the time she hit the 80th floor she noticed something. The floor was wet and above she could hear the echoes of trickling water.

 _What is with the water?_

Charlene then followed the water from the upper floors. The water soon become a flowing stream down the stairwell as she reached the 90th floor of the tower. Eventually she reached the 93rd floor to find the water was coming from a large broken pipe, along with a destroyed stairwell that rose to at least six stories; another impact zone.

Yet the Artemis waypoint showed her a path pointing her to exit the stairwell. Charlene followed it into the damaged 91th floor where she was surprise to what she was seeing!

Among exposed ceiling and burnt floor was an entire floor of the tower that was an art studio! Everywhere laid art equipment, canvas paintings, and artist desks that she assumed was for animation purposes. It was as if Disney had office space within the tower, but more than likely it was just another art studio for New York. For a while Charlene walked among the empty office floor where there were no walls anywhere apart from the tower's core and the outside skeleton. Her footsteps giving echoes as there was no music on the intercom. The broken windows gave breath to the outside wind breezing quietly through the empty floor.

Eventually Charlene made her way back the blue DHI line towards the elevator nearby and directed her to go through it.

Knowing it was the better than ever, Charlene turned off the waypoint on her Artemis, took a seat in the empty art studio, and mentally called Marta to see her. And like that a flash of blue light erupted behind Charlene.

"I know what your going to ask" Marta said in shame. "And I know what you all think of that day."

Charlene turned her chair towards the masked fairy who was kneeling in disgrace. "And?"

"It's disappointing" Marta rose to her feet. "History? A picture in a book? A few paragraph of words? Shallow sorrow?" She grasped her fists so tightly her fingers cracked from the pressure. "I see that Britannia's Child has failed to teach her children properly."

"Enough of that" Charlene said letting her inner queen out. "You threw a fit up there with the boys and it has to do with this certain day" she pointed up to the ceiling where a plane size hole laid above. "Why?"

Taking a deep breath Marta made her way to one of broken windows in the studio to look at the sun.

"It wasn't always like this." Her voice fill with sorrow as she continued, "This realm us to be a thriving world. One where we could live our lives as we remembered in the old world, while also having a window into the new. When Maleficent brought me to the towers, I like many others swore an oath to protect them as they stood as the castle to Britannia's Child. We were Kingdom Keepers."

There was that term again. "What?"

"A Kingdom Keeper" Marta then explain, "It's a special type of warrior-servant within the realm of the Fae. Unlike the normal warriors who fight for their own domain or servants who serve a royal family, a Kingdom Keeper is appointed by the Lower Gods to protect a given kingdom. For Maleficent, Britannia's Child was our Goddess and we swore to protect her kingdom and her castle; this castle."

"So, what happened when _that day_ happened?"

Marta took a deep breath before turning back to Charlene and taking a seat. "There is a great penalty for a Keeper if they fail to protect their kingdom. You see when a fairy becomes one, they're body and soul are linked eternally to the kingdom they swore to protect. If that kingdom were to be conquered or destroyed, the fairy dies along with it. As you see the consequences for us were dire."

This then brought up a good question for Charlene that really did collide the two worlds. "If you're swore to protect this place by any means why didn't you us magic on _that day_."

"Because the Gods forbid it" she answered. "It has always been forbidden for the magical realm to meddle in human affairs. The Gods have a plan for humanity and no matter how good our intentions maybe we are not allowed to interfere with that plan."

"Even if it means the death for everyone? My people and yours?"

Marta was quiet as she lowered her head in both shame and confusion. "I was here that day. I endured pain you cannot imagine. Even in my dreams I feel the fire scorching across my body. Yet the only thing I remember is begging for my Gods, any God, to show me mercy. I received none. None of us did."

Knowing what was best for the fairy Charlene felt necessary to speak no more. "Okay, that's enough."

"Are you pitying me" she asked?

"No, I just know your not ready. It's okay." She got up to her feet and turned away from the fairy. "If it's not much do you mind helping me get to the top?"

Raising her head Marta clashed her staff to the floor and transformed into a blue wisp. "Very well. Follow me."

The wisp made its way to the elevator bank and with an invisible force opened the doors. Charlene followed and after taking a good look down the long elevator shaft which spanned the height of the tower. To her side she could see a maintenance ladder nearby. Looking up Charlene could see the ladder only went a few stories up before being cut into a dead end.

Marta's blue wisp flew up a few stories before stopping. "It's safe to climb."

Without fear of the tall drop Charlene stretch her arm to grab hold of the ladder and swung her body onto it. Climbing the ladder and she made her way up the destroyed floors, where she could see the point of impact. The sunlight seeping through the windows of the building which had the outline of an airplane; its tail and wings cutting across the building. For that moment Charlene rested upon the ladder and let the image sink to mind.

"Be careful here. I trust that you are well in balance?"

Eventually her mind came back to turn to the steel beams that stretched across the exposed core. Far on the other side Charlene could make out a collapsed floor which could serve as a ramp to the floors above.

"Well balance?" Charlene stood up onto a piece of flooring that was intact. "I'm a champion when it comes to things with balance. I got this."

She then got off the latter and onto the exposed structure; slowly making her way across it with extreme care. For Charlene walking on these beams was no different than a balancing act in her old gymnasium. Since she was a young girl she found the motion of body in action to be amazing. She's always been the one who wanted to climb the tallest rock walls, the longest rope, or the highest jump; to do acts that in fantasy would be adventurous.

Marta turned a corner to another beam and then from her wisp a wall of some energy starched across her like a transparent shield. "This will help you avoid being blinded."

Charlene followed the wisp and turned the corner; the sun's bright rays being reduced by Marta's shield.

"Careful now there's a break in the floor here" the wisp said over a large pit to that dropped deep into the tower. "I'll create a bridge."

"Don't worry about it" Charlene said as she looked up at an exposed pipe above the pit. "I think I got this." With a mid-air jump by her DHI powers Charlene grab hold of the pipe and swung herself to the other side of the pit. Landing safely on a stable office floor.

"Impressive" Marta complemented as she flew near the gymnastics girl. "You remind me my time as a young girl at the temple of Artemis."

Appreciating the complement, she then made her way to the improvised ramp to the floors above.

On the 99th floor she couldn't rely on fallen ceilings to make her way up as most of the floor was in one piece. Marta's blue wisp then flew through a hole in the ceiling that pierced the floor above. Pushing a nearby filing cabinet Charlene climbed her way up onto the holes ledge and pulled herself up. The floor she was on looked normal with everything being intact and standing.

"That will be enough Britomartis" Maleficent's voice echoed in the sky once more. "Let the children have their fun. There is something in the real world I wish for you to see."

The blue wisp was mute for a second until she replied, "As you wish, your grace."

"Hang on" said Charlene. "Thank you. For everything."

The wisp transformed once more into the fairy woman as she kneeled and bowed her head in a salute. "It's been a pleasure to be with you this night. Forgive me for any transgressions."

She could see that the fairy still felt guilty for her behavior. Charlene then came by the fairy and put her hand on her shoulder in a compassionate gesture. She could feel the warm sensation within the fairy, feeling more alive than a hologram. "You're forgiven."

Slowly the fairy touched the girls hand. "You are too kind." She then teleported out of sight leaving Charlene alone.

Hoping Maleficent was still present she looked up to the ceiling. "Why do hate her so much?"

"I can hate who I wish when I wish" Maleficent replied. "I wish she had died that September mourning, but she just had to touch Walter's pen and save Wayne."

Now that explained why she had survived.

"Don't worry it won't be the last time you see her. Now go with your friends. Enjoy the view. It will be the last time you ever have such a moment." The sky was then silent.

Shaking the moment off Charlene opened the door out of the office into the intact workspace. Finding a stairwell was easy and upon entering it she saw the number **100** painted near the floor. The stairwell going down was destroyed, leaving a nearly seven story drop at the end of the stairs. She was out of the impact zone.

 _Almost there. Almost there._

* * *

The Radio Mast

Floor 110

Tower 1

9:10 P.M.

Philby stared up to see Maybeck and Finn on the exterior of the antenna and were now going into it once more. They had now entered the second section of the radio mass, distinguished by the red coloring of the exterior. From below Philby estimated that they must be probably 10 stories high.

For the two boys it was a tight squeeze to move about. The inside of the antenna was thick enough to have a small stairwell within its tube, but sometimes the pathway up meant going outside and climbing a ladder.

"Hey" Willa waved as she made her way to the roof. Philby raised his hand to show where he was. She then pulled up her Artemis to call Finn and Maybeck inside the mast. "How the weather up there?"

"Sunny. No Clouds. Zero percent chance of …" Maybeck said before he was cut off by Finn.

"Open the hatch Donnie."

With the two boys out of view, Philby and Willa spent their time looking at the setting sun in animation form. There was always something enchanting of seeing an animated sunset in a Disney film. Both Willa and Philby stood sat quietly on the roof looking at the sunset while hearing the music playing in the plaza below. Philby knew the song playing.

 ** _Heaven._**

The song felt appropriate given the view.

Then Philby pulled out an envelope that was tucked behind his pants.

"What is that" Willa asked?

"Souvenirs." He opened the envelope to reveal the post cards he had gotten from the gift shop from the other tower just after he was blasted by the light. "I want to see what happens when we take them back to the real world. You know, to make sense of it all."

"Okay." Looking back at the sun she said, "I really wished I had my sketchbook now because this is quite a view."

Putting the post cards back in envelope Philby asked, "Hey Willa?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do draw things a lot?"

Willa face was mute, not showing a clear emotion.

"You okay?"

"Yeah" she quickly replied. "I draw because it's a family talent."

"Family talent?"

"From my mother's side of the family." She continued, "My grandma…she taught me all the elements of drawing and painting. Use to stay with her a lot. One time I lived with her for over 6 months."

"Why" Philby asked?

"Marriage issues" said Willa. "My grandma didn't approve."

Remembering that her name was Hispanic in tone, Philby got the picture of what family drama took place.

At that moment Charlene made it to the roof looking wore out and exhausted. "I made it" she said quietly before kneeling and raise her hands in a victory pose. "YES! YES! Waa-ho!" Then she fell on her back and laid down, finally completing her climb to the top.

"Is that the victory cry of a special someone I know" Maybeck asked through the radio?

"Yup" Willa replied, knowing about the kiss from earlier.

Suddenly another pulse shot up the tower's antenna!

"Whoa" Finn said on the radio. "Don't tell me this thing is still live?"

The purple wisp shot out from to top and fell towards Philby, Charlene, and Willa at the base.

"Yeah it's another one down here!"

The boys above halted their climb.

After scanning the wisp with her DHI Artemis, the entry was a recorded memory.

 **Dark Data Downloaded.**

 **PLAYING RECORDED MEMORY...**

* * *

A wave of lighten then erupted both on the roof of the towers as well as down in the forest below. The light was blinding to Philby, Willa, and Charlene while catching the eyes of Finn and Maybeck high above. The light settled down to reveal a crowd of thousands if not tens of thousands of magical creatures surrounding the two towers; their holograms being of every kind of color. There were sorcerers, giants, dragons, and many other creatures looking up at the tower in which the kids were on. In the sky there were pixies as well as fairies who had both bird and insect wings watching in unison. And on the roof of both towers there were large groups of fairies that were of high status given their crowns, scepters, and staffs.

In the centered laid three dead fairies with Maleficent in chaisn on her knees, both of which were broken. Standing above her was Marta, still in her mask, along side the spartan fairy Cedrick. Charlene and Willa didn't get a chance to see the fairy that both Marta and Maleficent loved; they could see why.

"Any last words you wish to say" Cedrick pointed his sword down at Maleficent?

Maleficent's expression was frozen in shock as she looked at the three dead fairies before her, their throats slit by her lover's sword. Then that shock turned to fury and the look she gave Cedrick and Marta was unsettling. Philby, Willa, and Charlene could see up close the rage in her eyes that didn't belong to neither a mad woman or a wild animal.

"I saved you" Maleficent snarled, her teeth grinding in anger as she turned at the hundreds of fairies around her. "I saved all your worthless lives. And this is how you repay me?"

The crowd went into an uproar before Cedrick raised his hand to silence them. Clearly, he knew she had more to say.

"You want to know what I wish to say" Maleficent returned her focus back to Cedrick. "I wish that Ramzi had killed you all."

Again, the crowd uproar into shouting as they cursed the fairy that wished death upon them and to the Castle of **the World.**

"As an apostle of evil, you've been most effective" Marta's hologram said as she held Cedrick close into her arms. "What you do, you do not for us or Britannia's Child, you do it only to satisfy your own twisted sense of ego."

Maleficent's eyes widen as she looked directly at Marta. "No matter how much you think you are a saint to any Goddess will always be an orphaned slave girl."

Extending her hand Marta summoned an invisible force to choke the life out of Maleficent. It was halted by Cedrick's hand, trying to calm his new lover down.

"Your name will die with you" he said to Maleficent. "Those who praised your name will die with you. You will be forgotten and that will be the end for you."

"Now listen here." Maleficent turn to the fairies around her. "If you think your Goddess will save you on the Day of Prosperity you are mistaken. Your all damned just like me and nothing you do is going to change that. I was right once before and I'll be right once again."

Cedrick then griped both hands to his sword and laid it before Maleficent's neck ready to decapitate it. She merely looked at him with a smirk before closing her eyes. Then with a strong yell the spartan fairy lifted his sword and slice the horned fairies head clean off her shoulders. When her head fell on roof the holograms across the tower disappeared and everything was returned to normal.

 **END OF RECORDING**.

* * *

"Wow" said Willa. "That was something you don't see every day."

"Saudi Arabia" Philby said quickly.

Maybeck's laugh could be heard through the radio! "Thanks for the FYI Dr. Phil."

"You boys have weird sense of humor" said Charlene.

"Come on Donnie, we still have some way to go" Finn reminded his friend.

"Okay, okay, hold your horses." After a while he was back. "Hey, on the serious side here, I might as well ask; what do you all think about 9/11?"

The question made even the wind fall silent.

"Anyone" Maybeck asked?

Charlene was the first to speak. "I don't know. It's something no one really brings up."

"Hey Philby, your British right" asked Maybeck from above?

"Yeah, why?"

"How did you feel when London had that terrorist attack four years ago?"

He could see what Maybeck was getting at. A big story they lived to see. "I felt worried for my old friend Hugo. He lived in Leeds then moved to London and I was afraid that he may've been in that music hall that got slaughtered. Thankfully he wasn't."

"What about that government building" Finn asked? "The one with the Big Ben clock?"

"Parliament" Philby clarified.

"Yeah. Did you ever imagine you would see it on fire?"

"No one's ever imagined seeing the Westminster on fire. Much like no one thought these towers would be on fire back then."

Charlene looking down she asked, "How could something this big crumble so fast?"

"Evil" said Finn as he entered a steep staircase encased in a caged box, making him have a view of the vast sky. "You guys remember Nirvana?"

"Of course," Willa said quickly feeling slightly insulted. She may have a need to escape reality, but there were things that she knew she couldn't run away from. "Everyone who lives in Orlando knows about Nirvana."

"A few days after the attack I went to Disney World and it was the first time I've ever seen the Cinderella Castle light up in the colors of the rainbow flag. I'm telling you it that of all the times I've been to the parks, that moment where everyone was hand in hand, that was true magic."

"You know my parents helped out that night" said Charlene. "My mom had just graduated nursing school and my dad was working the late-night shift. Their hospital was the one just down the street from the club. Weirdly they became gun nuts after that."

"So that explains why you know your guns" said Finn.

"Well my aunt Jelly and I went to a real vigil downtown" said Maybeck. "We had each other's backs, gave some blood, and lite up our candles when the night came. There was this one girl whose sister was injured in the attack and…I felt it necessary to cheer her up. I'll never forget her thanks or her hug after I made her smile. Thankful the girl's sister survived, but she lost an arm."

"Jesus" Charlene said down below, not knowing this side to Maybeck.

"I know Nirvana was close to home, but what do you guys think is our generations 9/11" Finn asked?

It took a while for everyone to think of what counted. For them they've seen a lot of bad things in the world, too many to count. Yet if they had to name one moment that told them evil existed in the world, only one place came to mind.

"Bueller Elementary" everyone said at once.

"Yeah, Michigan" Finn was reminded. "Sucks for those Kindergarteners."

"They never found out why the kid did it" Willa asked?

"Nope. They said he wasn't insane, on drugs, or anything out of ordinary. He just wanted to shoot people and that was that."

"Oh crap" Charlene realized. "Now I get what the fairy was trying to get with my that night?"

"Holy crap your right" said Maybeck. "If the fairy's been watching all the evil crap in the world that isn't a good thing for us. I'm afraid she's got the idea in her head that she can do something just as bad."

The thought of that gripped everyone's stomachs.

From above both Finn and Maybeck were at the half way mark, entering the third section of the antenna. Now their fear of falling was starting to take over as their legs and arms began to shake. Thankfully from there on the whole way up was to crawl through the inside of the radio mast.

"What is evil to our world" Finn asked?

"Whoa, what's with the philosophy talk? That's for Dr. Phil to ask" said Maybeck.

"No seriously what is it" Finn repeated. "I've always seen it as something beyond us."

"What do mean by that" Willa asked?

"I mean it's something within us that goes back all the way to the time we were apes; maybe even before that. We've all seen the bad in humanity with Nirvana, Topeka, and the Valentine's Day massacre last year; but I can't help but feel it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to evil."

"That's why we have God" said Maybeck. "Got to keep the infection at bay."

"I think your wrong on that Donnie" said Philby. "I think everyone, heck even Disney, is wrong to think that evil is some disease; like the trend in making sad backstories for villain characters in stories. The message in that is basically that is if we all treat each other nicely then people won't become bad. Problem with that logic is that if you see something as a virus then there must be a cure. Well there is no cure for evil in the real world."

"Your saying we are born into it?"

"Yup" Philby replied to Maybeck. "I think it's something buried deep in our minds. So deep, we probably haven't dwelled there for thousands of years in our time of thinking. And I think the reason why terrorist, bombers, shooters, and every other bad guy in the real world does evil things is because they dig too deep."

Everyone was impressed to Philby's words on the matter.

"You know I really haven't thought of it like that" said Willa. "I know it's weird to ask but is that why the evilest acts come from guys?"

"Yup" Maybeck said from above as he opened a hatch that lead to the four and final section of the radio mast. "Believe me when I say that if you leave a guy alone, no family or girl to talk to, that leaves him a lot of time to think and what they find is very nasty. I've seen it in my father and it's not pretty."

Charlene now knew why he drop the subject matter earlier. "If you all think girls aren't bad your wrong. I come from cheerleading and it's not all smiles and giggles. We're competitive with each other, both on the field and looking good. Every time a new member comes one of us on the team just tries to tear them down and it's just wrong. Girls are slow and cruel when we do evil."

"And we punch each other in the face and blow shit up" Maybeck finished the point. "Evil is complicated."

"What about good" Finn asked? "No doubt evil in real world is bad, but we're not so great on the other side of the equation"

"What do you mean" Charlene asked?

"What I mean is that when it comes to heroes and what it means to be a hero we kind of suck at that" Finn continued. "I mean just look at what it meant to be a hero before us. Back then you weren't a hero because you were good; you were a hero because you were good while having a bull's eye on your head."

"Yeah, now a days if somethings got 'death' spelled on it, we don't mention it" said Willa. "Maybe that's why everyone likes fictional heroes more than the real ones. It's sad when you think about it really."

"Well no matter what, to me, there is no true than to my dad who had a bull's eye on his head gave hell to all those who tried to shoot at him."

Everyone's attention was on Finn.

"Listen I told you how my dad died, but what I didn't tell you is that he went down fighting. He was on a mission in the mountains of Afghanistan. A place called the Valley of Death. His helicopter got shot down and he along with his squad had to survive for days cut off from everything. Each helicopter that came for them got shot down until one manage to land. He stood behind, manning a machine gun, to buy his squad time to escape. When we figured he was a goner, we bomb the hell out of that valley. All that was left in the rubble was a camera for propaganda and that's how I figured out how it all ended for him."

There were no words from anyone. Everything was silent apart from the music down below in the plaza.

"Dead or alive my dad is hero and that is something I will never be sad about."

Hearing those words made everyone's dread disappear. Philby and Willa felt uplifted to Finn's family story and Charlene wished she could be up there to comfort him with a hug.

The music from the towers suddenly played a track to the boy's final words.

 ** _Dead or Alive._**

"The big guy hears you Finn" said Maybeck from behind, giving a node of respect to his family's sacrifice.

"Guys this place is will be gone forever after tonight" Finn reminded everyone. "I don't care what Maleficent has in store for us, all that matters to me is sending these towers off with a nice fair well."

Willa look up the antenna with confidence. "Then go for it."

The final climb was a large tube that had a lone latter going all the way up along with few bars on the side to let the climbers rest. Once reaching the top, Finn opened a thick white hatch and above was the last few feet of the antenna. Normally being so high would make the boys panic, but for some odd reason they had no fear. Maybe because everything around them was like a dream.

"Okay get those safety lines up Donnie."

The boys tied the improvised rope across themselves and to the last stretch of latter. Securing it Finn was the first to make his way out. The circular base on top of the antenna was only one meter wide with no railing. Near him was a normal looking TV antenna that was made of thick wires and went 15 feet into the air.

Yet at the very top there laid a purple sphere that was no bigger than a soccer ball. It appeared to be a force field of some kind, protecting something from within that was the source of all the wisps that they've been seeing. None the less that was not what the boys had climbed for.

The wires to the TV antenna were in an hour-glass shape and had laid out in a way that made it ideal to climb freely. Reaching the second hour-glass above, both Finn and Maybeck tied themselves to the antenna with the strings they carried around their pants. Taking the flag out of the backpack, Finn and Maybeck slowly began to make their way up the top. Taking good advice to mind, they didn't look down as they slowly made their way out.

Slowly they tied the rope for their flag tightly around the wires and upon letting the flag out of the backpack the star spangle banner flied high above the tower. Finn's task was done.

"People, this castle now has a banner to fly" said Finn to the others down below.

Thirty stories below, Charlene, Willa, and Philby look to the sky and clapped to their friend's task. While they weren't ones to express patriotism, they did come from a high school where the overall theme is all things Americana. In this moment all their dread from their unpleasant memories seem to fade away and instead embraced the moment.

Charlene called to the boys on the radio. "How's the view up there?"

The two boys stood at the highest point of the tower with every castle in their sight. The sun having not moved, stretched across the orange horizon. The stars above shined brightly in the twilight sky with the dark blue vail of night at its side. Feeling the euphoria of the moment, the boys on the antenna did what any other teenage kid would do. They shouted in glee.

Maybeck extended his hand to the wind and yelled, "I'm the king of the world!"

Above him Finn shouted in wonder, echoing high above **the World** Trade Center in the vast land of fantasy and dreams. "WA-HOO! WAAAOOO!"

About that time the voice on the radio said in a calm voice; "Well fellow listeners it's time for us here on 104.3 to say good-bye. This is our final broadcast and we here at the station thank you for listening to us over years. As our final song we play to you **_God Bless the USA_** to always remember that America is the greatest nation on Earth and the greatest nation for rock. Good night, farewell, and to those about to rock we salute you."

Despite hearing it so many times on the Fourth of July, the classic American song never got old in the ears to each of the kids. In this moment there were no words or thoughts, only appreciation for all that was around them. Only then could they see the beauty that laid before them.

The glow of the dimming sun became warmth. The brimming of the trees made the forest appear alive. The flying banners of the castles to the west became marvelous to see as they breezed quietly in the far distance. The sea to the south glittered shiningly. The mountains of the north were grand in their colossal size. And the castles that laid to the east were became beautiful in the moon's twilight.

After a few minutes the song was over, making everything drop into silence. Then the fairy spoke out once again.

"Dinner is served. Now come on down."

A green aura surrounded Finn and Maybeck; bursting into a flash that made the boys disappear from the antenna. A second later the same thing happened to Philby and Willa whom too disappeared from the roof; leaving Charlene alone.

"Not you Turner" Maleficent said to her. "You stay there and look at the light like the others."

The roof tremored as the tower's antenna began to glow. With the bells ringing down below and Charlene backed off to the ramp that lead back into the tower. She took a deep breath and said to herself, "Okay. Do your worst."

The antenna then exploded into light making Charlene closing her eyes. She also covered her ears from sound of the loud horn.

* * *

"Open your eyes girl" Maleficent voice echoed in air.

 _So much for that idea._

Opening her eyes Charlene found herself in her room at her own house. Only it was decorated in Disney Princess items. The walls were painted pink. Her plastic castle was in a corner of the room along with her box of Princess Dolls that she used to play with. The bed had a Princess cover over it. The clock was a Little Mermaid clock with Ariel in the center. Her white bookshelf had Disney fairy tale books as well as coloring books of her favorite Disney characters. Her childhood wardrobe was filled with Disney themed dresses.

Then something caught Charlene's eyes. She gravitated towards it without thought. It was in her Princess wardrobe and she was reluctant to hold it within her hand. It was a blue Cinderella dress, like the one she wore to Kindergarten.

Dropping it Charlene yelled to Maleficent, "Okay that enough! Let me out now!"

* * *

When Charlene turned her room had disappeared and she was standing back on the roof of the tower.

"Your friends are waiting for you down below" said Maleficent. "Come down. You must be hungry."

Relieved to be back Charlene made her way off the roof and back to the stairwell. The twin towers were once again in dead solitude after two hours of being alive with the sound of music.

Until high atop the radio mast Marta appeared before the flag, her first clinched in anger as she looked at it in distain. Raising her hand, a wave of energy expelled from the banner to form a magical wisp which was a bright as the setting sun! Slowly the heavenly wisp formed into a glass orb of light and feel right into the fairy's hand. This was a small window for Britannia's Child and Marta was hoping that the Goddess she once worshipped was listening to her clearly.

"I've seen what has gone on in **the World.** I see the product of your love, and you allow such blasphemy to occur after all you've have done for them? Damn you."

The orb of light was silent, showing no response of any kind. She grasped the last stretch of the wire antenna, crushing it to the point of leaving her mark. "These are good children. They have shown me more kindness than you ever did. If saving them means killing your spoiled kind, then so be it. I've have no faith in you anymore. My body is no longer your pawn."

Once again, the orb of light was silent.

With a yell of anger Marta threw the orb onto the ground, only for it to withstand the force in a flash of light and bounce back into the banner from which it came from. With nothing more to say, she teleported out of the Apeiron realm leaving the five kids to Maleficent's grace.

Like before all was still. Silent was the boom box that played music. Silent were the chairs and tables throughout the twin towers. Silent were the hallways, the decks above, and the shops below. Silence was all except for the flag that that stood on top of the tower's antenna, it's stars and stripes still standing into twilight's last gleaming.

* * *

 **AN: Yup. This here is what I believe is the most important Disney setting of all. What was only a backdrop in Oliver and Company is now all that is left of the real thing. And yes, Briar Rose was indeed in the fantasy setting of a Pre-9/11 New York City. Watch Oliver and Company, check it out. When the gang first spot Jenny's limo you see Rose in the corner wonder about in New York wearing glasses, an 80's dress, and holding a bag. A Disney Princess cameo that almost NOBODY knows about. And after the fiasco of Dodger's gang trying to take the limo, Rose went her way to the Castle that ruled over all. To all Disney characters it is only known as the Twin Towers, it's true name unknown to all put one evil fairy. Upon reaching the top of the tower Rose's aunts finally found her, dap her with magic, and made her believe it was all just a dream when they got her back to the forest cottage in King Stefan's Kingdom. However, like Rose it was the first time the Three Good Fairies ever stood upon the Twin Towers and they felt something abnormal to their presence. An abnormality that they would soon learn to be far more sinister. Something not of their world to be sure.**

 **So yes; the World Trade Center IS apart of the Disney Animated Universe. You and I can only go to Floor 1 at the edge of its footprint, but the Disney cartoons have the towers all to themselves. While the towers were destroyed on 9/11, it's still standing in the Disney Universe; but it is a wound within the realm that transcends all powers both good and evil. They are no longer just buildings, but a divine deity that is more powerful than all the Disney characters. So, here's the break down of how this chapter was painfully made.**

 **1\. The Twin Towers: First off, I just want to say that when it came to this chapter I did my research just as much as when Ridley Pearson did his research for the Disney Parks. And I'm not lying when I say EVERYTHING you read is EXACTLY where it needs to be! Nothing in this setting was made up. Every floor is exactly what it needs to look like. Every corner and room are exactly where they need to be. The benediction at the beginning is word to word as was said in 1973. My first and foremost job on this chapter was to bring these dead buildings to life, and yes I do love 1980's music and I wished to use it to bring that old atmosphere to life. And yes, even the radio station that is playing the songs is real and accurate. WAXQ FM 104.3, New York's Classic Rock; look it up people it's real. ORIGINALLY, I did plan on letting this chapter take place in the Disney Realm of Oliver and Company. Then I decided instead to let the setting be where I believe the Twin Towers lay in rest. While the towers are gone in our world, they exist still in the realm of imagination and that's where their going to stay till the end of time; which is why I took my time making sure every detail was on point. There is no movie or book that ever explores the World Trade Center in such detail in a fantasy story. Not only do the towers serve as a major setting, they also fix a VERY big problem when it comes to the Kingdom Keepers series and that is the fact that when colliding the realms of fiction and reality; just where does the spectrum end? Being a Disney story there is no question that the magical fantasy element will go off the deep end, but what about the real world? How much does that play a role in the Kingdom Keepers stories? Well in this reboot the buck stops on the Twin Towers and what they represent to our world of reality. The story won't go any deeper into reality because by then I would just be writing a story that is too real and not so much a Disney Story; like of like the Return series where we got little to no Disney characters or fantasy magic. Overall, this is the reason as to why this chapter took so long to create. I may be a fan of Disney, but this is far greater than the Keepers or Maleficent; this is THE WORLD here!**

 **2\. Disney and America: Apart from being a symbol of bridging the realms of fantasy and reality, the towers also needed to point out an obvious fact that almost all Disney Fans NEVER talk about; and that is the fact that Disney magic is an American creation. All the characters, settings, and inspiration it gives to children and adults is an American product which runs on American rules in entertainment and economics. Many fans say that Disney is not American because all its animated characters come from fairy tales from across the world and thus Disney transcends nationality. WRONG! Every character made by Disney exist only because it is translated through the American lens. Every movie we Disney fans have seen would be extreme depressing if we had these fairy tales in their original format from their origin countries. It's only when these fairy tales come to America and are translated through Disney do they become timeless stories and characters for all know and love. Disney magic is American magic and I cannot believe that Ridley Pearson never though of this idea while making the books because it is a very important aspect to all things Disney. Like in Walt Disney's speech on the Disneyland's opening day, his parks are the embodiment of America. AND THEN IT HIT ME! If America made Disney and Walt Disney himself; why not let America be a character that rules over all! This resulted in me doing something that has NEVER been done in any Kingdom Keepers stories. Using national persona characters as Gods whom are the embodiment of a country and rule over not only every fictional character, every Disney character, but also every man, woman, and child living under their flag. I never liked the idea of letting Mickey Mouse be the KING of all the characters, and that he should be the sacred character that is only seen once in the entire 10 book series of the Kingdom Keepers/The Return. If Mickey is the King, then America is his Goddess. The Goddess foretold to be Britannia's Child. There is A LOT more I wish to say about this concept, but it will have to wait till the next chapter because that's where Maleficent comes into play.**

 **3\. The Half-Century Gap: Every single Kingdom Keeper story has this problem, both in the books and in fan fictions. That being the question of what have the Disney Characters been doing before the Keepers came along? The Return books do a poor job at this because they only focus on witch-craft corporate weirdos who do voodoo magic and rob graves. That is a joke to me. Here I want it to be focused on Maleficent because she IS the first character to be brought to life and the lore of the Kingdom Keepers deserves a reason why. Normally many fans would just say she's been in the park for 50 years and has just got along with other Disney characters as time went by. NO! Maleficent is a dangerous character for 50 years and if she's to be connected to our world she needs to be more. Not only did I want to expand and create a world and lore solely around Maleficent, but also give history to Wayne and that fight he had in keeping her evil at bay. The hate these two have for each other is more than what this chapter shows and that is something that has always been missing in the Kingdom Keepers stories. And this leads me to another important aspect of this chapter.**

 **4\. The Lore Building of the Third Kingdom: When Ridley Pearson in that interview said the difference between Maleficent and all the other Disney Villains is that the Villains live in their own world while Maleficent lives in ours; there was no doubt I was going to use that to make her more superior to all the bad characters in the Disney Realm. While the Disney characters have the two kingdoms of Disneyland and Disney World; in this reboot I allowed Maleficent to make a THIRD kingdom realm under the magic of her own people; of an original lore that is only found here in Project DHI! The goal that I hoped for in creating this third kingdom was to fill in the 50 years Maleficent had spent in the real world and to build a mythology surrounding Maleficent's own world that is NOT Disney. THIS I wanted to SO MUCH and I had a very fun time doing it! If there is one thing I value when it comes to fictional world building it is giving nodes to the reader, viewer, or player hints at a much bigger picture. I know it's ironic when I say this, but I don't want to explain everything because it's a lot more fun to imagine the potential than laying it out. Yes; this is the longest and most detailed chapter written but this is the only time in the story where Maleficent's world can be explored before going into the realm of Disney.**

 **5\. The Good, the Bad, and the Towers: When I first began writing this chapter my first goal in terms of character development was to explore ONLY Maleficent's character by her relation to her animator; with the twin towers bridging the two. At the time there were NO memory recordings, NO original characters, NO flashbacks for the Keepers, and NO world building in this chapter. The focus was entirely on Maleficent and her creator, but when I began reading it I realized that just focusing on Maleficent wasn't enough for a setting as important as the Twin Towers. That's when I decide to go heavy on the world building and that is when I was satisfied with what I was doing to the towers. To relieve the shadow of 9/11 that will forever stain the towers, the world building allowed me to make them more than just a pair of American office buildings. To me personally the towers will always be my childhood castle, hence the Fae name of 'Sacred One'. After that it was clear that I making this chapter feel for like a Maleficent fan fiction than a Kingdom Keepers fan fiction, so I decided to focus next on exploring the five Keepers. This is where the bright light flashbacks came into play. Inspired by a good horror video game, I let the antenna of the tower serve as a magical rode that revealed the pasts of our five teenage heroes. Throughout Pearson's books, there is NO past for any of the Keepers! Despite so many books, we know NOTHING about the upbringing of Finn, Charlene, Willa, Philby, or Maybeck. We just get the standard characters with barely anything to their name and that should be unacceptable to fans of the series. At this point in the writing stage of the chapter I felt like it was finally balanced. The Twin Towers were brought to life and were the center linchpin to EVERYTHING in this chapter. Maleficent's world and her past are explored; creating a new mythology that goes beyond the world of Disney. The five characters have a past with the exploration of traumatic moments in their pasts. Still despite writing this chapter beyond what it was supposed to be, there was still an element I felt that was missing throughout it all. And this lead to me adding on one last thing that I felt was necessary.**

 **6\. Britomartis: The final thing that was added and not intended was an original character that would serve as a guide to the magical realm, the Twin Towers, and of Maleficent's character. It was this or having Maleficent or the Disney characters explain it all throughout the story; which would not allow any room for light-hearted Disney magic which is now really needed in Project DHI after this. The character who would serve as this guide was a tricky decision to make. One idea was to allow the Three Good Fairies for Sleeping Beauty to serve as their guide, but they wouldn't fit with the Twin Towers setting, from the REAL world, and the lore which they carried. A small but funny idea was that Pete, the first Disney Villain, would be in the chapter only once at the beginning and he would explain how the Twin Towers exist in the fictional realm of the Apeiron; but no, he's guarding the one in the Disney realm of New York City. There was no doubt I was going to let the three green wisps, who were always planned to be dark fairies like Maleficent, to be the guides to the five kids. This was the plan but after writing so much, their characters would conflict with the fact that Maleficent wouldn't want anyone to show her as weak and these three Unseelie Fairies would've done that. Then I had an idea. Let there be a Seelie Fairy aka a Fairy of Light! Originally the plan was to turn the DHI Artemis system into a fairy, but then it wouldn't have a character history. I did the next big thing and let Maleficent's rival be the light fairy and that is when I created Britomartis aka Marta. She serves as perfect guide to explain the world of magic, the prophecy of Britannia's Child that would result in Disney magic, and of Maleficent's character. Perhaps the most important thing of all is that Britomartis serves a character that has endured the horrors and cruelties of both worlds. Yet on the bright side, I'm glad to tell Kingdom Keepers fans I changed my mind on Amanda.**

 **And that is all for this long and enduring chapter folks. After so many hours writing and rewriting this chapter, it is finally done. Now we to move on to part 2. Yeah, THIS was just half of what was intended, thankfully the next chapter isn't so detailed. So now comes Maleficent and why Pearson is right to say she's more connected to our world than anything else.**

 **Thanks for reading. What do you think? What was done good? What was done bad? What should've been done? Please share your opinions with a review and if you haven't please favorite and follow Project DHI. This is Protodayka signing off with a bang….BANG!**


End file.
